NORTH MANCHESTER - Area residents are invited to wear orange at noon Friday, June 6 in North Manchester and join the second annual walk and vigil to raise awareness about gun violence.
Organizers also wish to support their safe and caring communities, according to a news release from North Manchester Violence Prevention.
Participants will gather at the northeast corner of Main and Market streets at noon, then walk down the north side of Main to Mill Street and return on the south side of Main to Market, where they will gather for a vigil for those killed by gun violence.
At the June 6 Wear Orange event, those taking part are asked to wear orange. This is not a political rally, and organizers ask that no signs be carried. Some streamers and pinwheels will be provided, and those who come are welcome to bring their own.
“We did a lot of research and found that North Manchester has relatively little gun violence, and we want to celebrate and promote it being a safe and caring community,” said Bev Eikenberry, a founder of North Manchester Violence Prevention. “We also acknowledge that many communities in our nation believed themselves to be safe — until they weren’t.”
The group encourages local leaders to establish procedures that will make it less likely for violence to occur, such as de-escalation techniques, promoting the idea of belonging, and dealing with violence-related issues, such as suicide and domestic violence.
North Manchester Violence Prevention also hopes to partner with groups that offer gun-safety training and information.
Orange was chosen for National Gun Violence Awareness Day, in large part because that is the color hunters wear to be safe in the woods. A $15 orange t-shirt can be ordered at stopgunviolence2025.itemorder.com/shop/sale/
For more information or to contact the group, search for North Manchester Violence Prevention on Facebook.