Monday, April 16, 2007

Blacksburg, Va Tech, -- on our minds

Bill Gupton, wearing the t-shirt. He wrote the note posted below.
From people & vips

The photo above was taken in a dorm at Va Tech in Blacksburg. Our family, for the past six or seven years, has gone to a 'church camp' on the Virginia Tech campus.


Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Board and the entire SUUSI community, I want to express my profound sorrow, sadness, and sympathy for the terrible tragedy that has unfolded this morning at the campus we all love, Virginia Tech. For many of you, this email will be the first you hear of what has been a shooting spree there, which has left more than a dozen dead, and an entire community in shock. As an extended part of that Virginia Tech community, we, too, feel the pain and loss they are suffering.

I have already reached out to our official contacts at Tech, expressing our solidarity with them in this day of mourning, and beyond. Our SUUSI Board meets this coming weekend, and we will be discussing possible ways in which the SUUSI community, can reach out as well -- perhaps through a collection earmarked to a memorial fund, perhaps something else. We will keep you posted and please, if you have any suggestions, send them along.

May this SUUSI Friends List serve as a community sounding board where we can grieve, console, and support one another, just as our full SUUSI community does (in person, one week a year; in spirit, 51 other weeks a year).

In sorrow and in hope -- Namaste
Rev. Bill Gupton, SUUSI Board President

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mark,
It was good to hear from you today. I am pretty shook up about all this, as
I know you are too, and the whole SUUSI community. In this, we are in
solidarity with all Americans, and others around the world.
Let us not forget the power of love, and the power of the human spirit -
both of which we feel, each summer, at that special place called SUUSI.
May you know that power now, as well, and in the days to come.
Namaste,
Bill