LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Saturday, Oct. 1 will mark five years since the 1 October shooting, and events are planned all weekend, starting Friday night with the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center.
The center is encouraging you to make a lantern as a way to honor victims, survivors, and first responders from that night.
Nearly 2,000 people have registered to participate in the lantern event at United Way Southern Nevada at 6 p.m., and though the center is already out of kits, there’s a way for you to make your own.
“It’s a small craft, but it’s led for healing, and we’re hoping that people can find healing and hope and just share their light,” said director Tennille Pereira. “In the hours after the tragedy, people shared their light. They gave blood, they donated things, we’re hoping with this, they can share their light again.”
You can find out how to build your own lantern in the video player below.
Mental health provider Jackie Harris helped walk us through the meaning of making a lantern and how to make it a healing experience.
“I think one of the ways this helps people heal is they can personalize this, “she said. “People can write their own messages… we’ve delivered kits all over the country and even in different parts of the world, so no matter where somebody is, they can participate in this activity.”
A mental health provider will be on site during the event to walk people through it as needed.
8 News Now also spoke to the mother of Erik Silva, a security guard who lost his life in the mass shooting.
“My son was a person who helped the community whenever he could, he used to be a very happy person,” she said. “It’s a community effort to be together and heal together.”
To watch a special broadcast of the lantern ceremony on the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center’s YouTube channel, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., visit this link.
