Remember January 8, 2011.

Remember the first moment you heard/read online that CD 8 Congresswoman “Gabby” Giffords had been shot in the head (credit to blogger “3 Sonorans” for his fast blog here at Tucsoncitizen.com, minutes after the shooting).

Remember when you realized that 19 persons including a 9 year old child had been shot & injured at that Safeway in NW Tucson.

Remember the pain when you realized that you personally knew someone who died (for me, Gabe Zimmerman, Gabby’s community outreach aide). Remember the grief thereafter for such a senseless killing.

Remember anxiously waitng for news from UMC of the condition of the injured.

Remember going to that Safeway to pay your respects to the six fallen on the sidewalk.

Remember going to the UMC memorial to light candles, and to the Congresswoman’s office to place flowers, pray for healing and peace of mind.

Remember President Barack Obama’s speech on January 12, 2011 at McKale Center, in which he stated:
“I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us”.

We all remember January 8, 2011 and the first responders, Surgeon Dr. Peter Rhee at the UMC Trauma Unit, the outpouring of love and support for the families of the murdered and the injured.

Today, as we reflect on the events of that day a year ago, here is a list of some events to attend, to collectively continue the healing:

7 a.m.

Ben’s Bells Distribution – Hundreds of Ben’s Bells will be randomly distributed throughout Tucson in memory of those we lost and in gratitude for our beautifully supportive community. Contact: Phone:520-628-2829

10 a.m .- 5 p.m.

A Day of Kindness at the Children’s Museum — Tucson Ben’s Bells invites families to gather to sign the Kindness Contract, to paint Kindness Coins and to hang Kindness Wishes in the trees at the Museum. Contact: Children’s Museum Tucson, 520-792-9985, 200 S. 6th Avenue

10:11 a.m. Community-wide Ringing of Bells

1:00 p.m. Interfaith Service
San Augustine Cathedral
190 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ

3 p.m. – 5 p.m. January 8th Lecture Series
Centennial Hall – University of Arizona Campus
1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ
The event will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

6:30 p.m. – Candlelight vigil on University of Arizona Mall, with speeches
Congresswoman Giffords and her husband USN Captain (ret.) Mark Kelly will be attending.
The vigil will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

For my earlier blog with many more details on today’s events including other faith services (click here).

Today let us remember January 8, 2011.

UPDATES: my notes in comment section below about some of the events I attended today.

1/9/12 update: Channel 6 video of the vigil: http://azpm.org/news/story/2012/1/9/1616-view-jan-8-2012-candlelight-vigil/

Many many events are scheduled today by an amazing partnership of Southern Arizona groups, to “commemorate, celebrate and commit” to moving beyond that mass shooting on January 8, 2011. The earliest event start at 7:15 a.m. and some last till 6 p.m. tonight.

Here is again the BEYOND website for a long list of events today (click here), all over Southern Arizona.

The Main Event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reid Park (22nd and Country Club area):

•Run/walk the BEYOND Outdoor Experience Activity Course.
•Take a class from Zumba, Yoga Oasis, The Uncarved Block (Tai-Chi)
•Try Pima County’s Bicycle Obstacle Course
“There will be creative opportunities with Bens Bells, Beads of Courage, Story Odyssey, Stories that Soar, Arts and Crafts and more! Tucson High Jovert Steel Drum Band will be performing as well. And you won’t want to miss Beyonce’s “Move Your Body” Flash Workout at 11am at Demeester Outdoor Performance Center.”

BEYOND is a community-wide event to commemorate the anniversary of January 8th, celebrate the spirit of togetherness we felt in the days and months afterward, and re-commit ourselves to working together to build a stronger community every day.

After that horrendous and shocking shooting in our community, there was an outpouring of love & support at the 3 memorials, many dedications to the six deceased victims over the months, many public forums & lectures, even a photography book “Together We Thrive” (click here for that blog on its release day).

Today let us remember January 8th — a day early before tomorrow’s 1st year anniversary and “Remembering January 8th” events (click here).

And if you decide to stay at home tomorrow, at 6 p.m. turn on KUAT Channel 6 to watch the very moving “Together We Heal” PBS one hour documentary of that tragic day (click here).

UPDATES: My notes in the comment section below about the events I attended today for BEYOND.

Ted Prezelski, blogger at Rum, Romanism & Rebellion is reporting that injured Congresswoman “Gabby” Giffords will be attending the candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday 1/8/12 at the UA Mall, with her husband Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Retired). Here’s the link of his article with more information about that event:

http://www.rumromanismrebellion.net/2012/01/04/january-8th-anniversary/

Ron Barber, her District Director will be the emcee at that vigil, with speeches by newly- elected Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, The University of Arizona Medical Center. Barber himself was shot twice on January 8, 2011 and is still recovering from the wound to his leg. Captain Mark Kelly is also listed as one of the speakers at the vigil.

For more information on the events of that day “Remembering January 8th”, the one year anniversary of the mass shooting on 1/8/11, click here.