Candles for the city of light

Published 1:04 pm Monday, November 16, 2015

After more than 100 people were killed in terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, Nov. 13, Island students organized a candlelight vigil at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Nov. 15 to raise money for the International Red Cross. 

With the visit of students from Mercer Island’s French Sister City, Thonon-Les-Bains, just a few weeks ago, many on the Island felt especially struck by the tragedy.

Attendees at the vigil signed a poster expressing support for the Sister City students, which will be sent from Mercer Island City Hall to Thonon.

Maeve O’Briant, who organized the event, said she wanted to do more than “armchair activism.”

“It helps, but living in an affluent and tightly-knit neighborhood like Mercer Island gives us all the resources we could possibly need to make a difference,” she said.

She participated in the Sister City Association’s student exchange with Thonon-les-Bains, but wanted to help people not only in Paris, but also in Beirut and Baghdad, where similar attacks happened.

Henry Mansfield, Nicole Kemp, Sophie Kraus and Hannah Duffy performed “Imagine” by John Lennon and a few other songs at the event. Around 50 people attended and lit candles.

O’Briant said she sent photos of the event to friends in France, who were “amazed and extremely grateful.”