PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles resident Shanee Wimberly, horrified by the shootings in Orlando, Fla., last Sunday, is organizing a candlelight vigil on Ediz Hook on Saturday evening.
Wimberly, 24, said she and her friends are seeking an outlet for the emotions churned up by the shootings, which killed 49 and wounded at least 53 in a gay nightclub, she said.
“I just wanted to hold a peaceful event,” she said, to be grateful for being alive.
“It’s important for people to . . . they don’t have to agree with being gay. This is about coming together.”
She plans the vigil for 6:30 p.m. and expects it to take about two hours.
The entire community is invited to gather on Ediz Hook near the Coast Guard gate, she said.
Wimberly had not put together a program by Saturday but envisions opportunities for members of the community to talk if they feel moved to do so.
Wimberly asks that anyone interested in taking part in the candlelight vigil bring flashlights or battery-operated candles that won’t be affected by the Ediz Hook breezes.
Rainbow shirts and similar clothing are also welcome.
For more information, see http://tinyurl.com/PDN-orlandovigil.
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Assistant Managing Editor Mark Swanson can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55450, or mswanson@peninsuladailynews.com.