18 October 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Members of the Topeka community came together Tuesday night at Evergy Plaza for a vigil to recognize the multiple people killed in recent days at the hands of others, including many children.
While the vigil was small, it was powerful. There was hugging, tears were shed and most importantly, a community came together as one during these challenging times.
The Vigil was organized Sunday by a Topeka mother who’s struggling to understand what’s happening to her community. Starting at 7:30 p.m., people slowly filled the stairs of Evergy Plaza with candles in hand. While some cried, and others mourned, one message was clear, people in Topeka care.
“I came out here because I personally don’t feel like you have to know someone personally to show compassion and to show up for them,” vigil attendee, Katherine Peters said. “To me it’s just really sad to see everything that’s happening in this city and my heart goes out to the families of everyone involved.”
Peters adds if we want to see change in our community, we need to come together as a community to make it happen.
The organizer of tonight’s vigil, Ali Stauffer, tells 27 News that it never mattered to her how many people showed up. What mattered to her was if she could make a difference in at least one persons life.