Dozens of people braved the chilly weather last Thursday night to gather together and show their support for Hannah Graham and others like her. The somber faces of students were lit up by the light of a candle as they listened to speeches from Josh Atkins, general manager of 202 Bar and Grill, Longwood Police Chief Beach and President Reveley.
This vigil, headed by Hannah Burns with the help of Kandice Brown, Amanda Elgin and Melanie Books, was put on by the brothers of Alphi Phi Omega. Burns said that the vigil was “ to remember Hannah in a respectful and formal way, as well as have this be a somber opportunity for Longwood to re-evaluate how we might handle similar situations like this in the future.”
One of the main topics of the night was safety. What happened to Hannah really could happen to anyone. During his speech, Josh Atkins reassured students that our safety is of the utmost importance to him. He promised to watch out for each and every Longwood student, and before turning the microphone over to Chief Beach, he said, “It’s my job to make sure ya’ll are safe, and I’ll do whatever it takes to do that.”
Students were also reminded by Chief Beach that the police aren’t the enemy, especially in situations like this. We should never be afraid to contact them in a time of need. More importantly, Chief Beach stressed the idea that it’s important for us to let Hannah’s life make a positive difference on everyone it touched, learn the lessons that were taught and watch out for our fellow Lancers.
Before closing with a moment of silence, President Reveley stressed that Hannah’s story has brought heartbreak for many, we must draw strength from the past and send our thoughts and prayers to our sister university and all of those suffering from this tragedy.
Attendee Jennifer Trate said, “I thought it was really sweet and well put together. The vigil was a great way to honor Hannah’s life as well as remind us that this really could happen to anyone.”
Longwood will continue to remember Hannah Graham and her family in this difficult time. There will be a ribbon campaign put on by SGA Monday on Brock Commons. Make sure to stop by, pick up a ribbon and show your support for Hannah.
