Newtown Community Responding To Letters Of Support After Tragic Shooting

Many U.S. citizens and helpful and hopeful folks living elsewhere around the world have come together in support of the Newtown, Connecticut community after a set of tragic shootings took more than a handful of young lives. It’s estimated that 175,000 cards and letters expressing hope, support, condolences, and well wishes have been sent to the tight-knit community after the December massacre. Now, volunteers in the town are working to preserve all of the letters and to respond to as many senders as possible.

The touching response from the community may never have come together without resident Yolie Moreno, who was spurred into action after seeing buckets and buckets full of letters laid out in Newtown’s municipal building. According to the Huffington Post, a child’s watercolor with a sentiment written on top was particularly touching to the woman, who then decided to archive the letters as a way to give back. Another group, the Newtown Volunteer Task Force, has begun answering some of the mail before it is officially archived. While they cannot respond to every piece of mail, they hope to let others know their voices are being heard and the town appreciates everything people are doing.

Now, a good chunk of the documents have been photographed and stored in a storage unit. As soon as each of the letters, notes, and cards have been archived, Moreno’s team has plans to incinerate each of the items. The ashes will be used in the concrete for the shooting victims’ memorial. These two are examples are just a few of many small things townspeople are doing in order to make certain no one forgets the tragedy or makes light of what happened.