National Capital Region Remembers April 16, 2007

A moving harp solo by Virginia Tech National Capital Region alumnus Christine Van Dyke, melodic tolling bells, and a moment of silence set a somber, yet hopeful tone as faculty, staff, students, and alumni gathered at the Northern Virginia Center (NVC) in Falls Church for the dedication of a bronze plaque mounted on Hokie Stone. The plaque marks the site of a bench, also made from Hokie Stone, and a Japanese maple tree dedicated last summer in honor of those who lost their lives on April 16, 2007.

“This small site gives us a place where we can come to reflect and remember that while spring has been a time of great tragedy in our community, it is also a time of replenishment, beauty, and hope,” said Jim Bohland, vice president and executive director of National Capital Region Operations.

“On April 16th and immediately thereafter, all of us experienced waves of conflicting emotions – anger, sorrow, grief, frustration, sympathy, pain, and horror. Those emotions remain with us and always will. We can never forget, but time is a wonderful gift that softens the raw emotions we all felt that day. Today, we can laugh again, enjoy the beauty of a place such as this, and think positively about our future and that of Virginia Tech, while still remembering and honoring those who lost their lives and were injured on that day,” Bohland said.

Karen Akers, director of the NVC, described a few of the challenges encountered while trying to get the Hokie Stone to NVC and the marker for the site produced in time for the dedication. “Somehow everything came together,” she said. “In a sense, that is what you do when confronted with a tragedy. From a pile of stuff, you take what you’ve been given and make something meaningful from it.”

Hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil held at the NVC. The vigil was sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association in conjunction with a very successful VirginiaTechforLife blood drive. In Alexandria, students from the Architecture and Landscape Architecture programs handed out to the Alexandria community 320 packages (10 packets for each life lost) of flower seeds, representing the renewal of life by planting seeds in memorium. Each packet included a commemorative ribbon attached to a lancet along with a note reading, " Please plant these seeds and flag in memory of those Virginia Tech students and faculty lost on April 16th, 2007. Virginia Tech thanks everyone in the community for their support. "

The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center held an afternoon remembrance event with a number of speakers, including Dr. Martin Furr, professor and Adelaide C. Riggs Chair in Equine Medicine at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Dr. William D. Tyrrell Jr., past president, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society, and Joseph Keusch, council member, Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. A moment of silence was observed followed by Anthony VanPelt playing a solo violin arrangement of Amazing Grace as 32 white doves were released.

Posted April 17, 2008