Annual Daffodil Day honors victims of gun violence

Intermountain Catholic

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Rosalba Hernandez, whose daughter Faviola was killed in a drive-by shooting last year, plants daffodil bulbs with her son, Junior. They arrived at the event after a court date for the accused killer. IC photo by Marie Mischel

SALT LAKE CITY - In the 10 years since Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 15 students and a teacher at Colorado’s Columbine High School before killing themselves, shootings with multiple victims have become almost commonplace. The violence has struck throughout the United States; the most recent occurrence in Utah was in 2007 at Trolley Square in which six people, including the shooter, were killed.

This year between March 5 and April 5 alone, there were 16 shootings involving multiple deaths, resulting in 85 deaths, said Dee Rowland, chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, which sponsors an annual event in which students plant daffodil bulbs in remembrance of victims of gun violence. "We’re continuing with our hope of learning how to avoid gun violence and violence of all sorts," Rowland said.

At this year’s Daffodil Day of Remembrance on Oct. 23 at the Unity Center, students from Riley Elementary School were joined by Rosalba Hernandez, whose daughter was killed in a drive-by shooting last year. "This renews her memories," Hernandez said. "It’s comforting to see something of her life."

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, who one of the speakers at the event, said gun violence costs the community not only because of deaths but because of injuries. He said he supports "common-sense gun ownership," and people who own guns should store them safely and know how to them. "We don’t want to see more gun violence in our community," he said. "We’re going to do what we can to stop it and remember every day that it’s important for us to take preventative measures against gun violence."

The event was held in support of the YWCA’s 15th annual Week Without Violence, which is intended to raise awareness of and offer solutions to violence in homes and communities, said Keri Jones, YWCA’s chief program officer. The daffodils the students planted were in remembrance of victims, to her they "also serve as a symbol of hope. They represent a brighter future for each child struggling in a home where abuse is present, and a colorful reminder of how precious young life is in our communities."