The Diamonds of Alpha Delta Omega National Christian Sorority will sponsor "A Walk to Remember" in honor of those killed or injured Feb. 14. The walk will begin at 3:06 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in Central Park (between Grant Towers South and Stevenson Towers) and end at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commons.
Donations will be accepted with all proceeds benefitting the February 14 Student Scholarship Fund. Student organizations wishing to participate are encouraged to consider a $25 contribution. To make a contribution, visit the tables set up Tuesday, April 15, in Wirtz Hall from noon to 1 p.m.
All are welcome to participate. For further information, contact Joy Jeffries at jjeffri2@niu.edu.
The NIU Library Memorial Quilt Committee is sponsoring a community quilt project in memory of the victims of the Feb. 14 tragedy. The goal is to create a king-size quilt, as a gift from the community, which will be housed permanently in Founders Memorial Library.
Stop by the information desk in the Founders Memorial Library through Tuesday, April 8, to pick up your quilt square.
Each participant is invited to create a tribute on their square; guidelines will be provided. Completed quilt squares must be turned in no later than Wednesday, April 30. Once the quilt is finished, all participants will be invited to a dedication ceremony.
For more information, contact Rebecca Martin at (815) 753-9896 or rmartin2@niu.edu.
In response to the tragedy at NIU, the University & College Designers Association (UCDA) is orchestrating a poster project relating to campus violence. To learn more about the project and see submission details go to:
http://ucda.com/posterproject.lasso
All members of the NIU community are invited to participate in the Huskies for Hokies Candlelight Vigil at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, in the Martin Luther King Commons. The event is intended as a show of support and sympathy for the Virginia Tech community, which will mark the one-year anniversary of a shooting spree on their campus that claimed 32 lives. Candles and lighters will be provided at the ceremony. Sponsors for the event include the NIU Student Association and the Residence Hall Association.
Northern Illinois will face Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, on Wednesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. and proceeds from tickets sales will benefit the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund.
Read Release
On Monday, February 18, at 6:30 p.m. EST, Hokies United hosted a Candlelight Vigil in honor of the victims of the NIU shooting. The vigil will be held under Torgerson Bridge on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. Members of the community were asked to wear NIU's school colors, red and black, that day in support of the students. Red and black ribbons were also given out on Monday night to all attendees.
View photo gallery from this event
In honor of NIU, the students of DeKalb H.S. and Sycamore H.S. all wore red and black for their basketball game Saturday night 2/16 in DeKalb. NIU students were invited to attend the game free of charge.
Watch video
The Rockford IceHogs, who compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) and are the top affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, will offer a free ticket to three upcoming home games for NIU students.
NIU students must present a valid school ID at the MetroCentre Box Office to redeem a ticket for the Sunday, March 2 game, at 4:05 p.m. The Rockford MetroCentre is located on 300 Elm St., Rockford, IL, 61101. Box office number is 815-968-5222.
The IceHogs, in agreement with the Quad City Flames, Chicago Wolves and AHL, wore their red jerseys during the team’s home games on February 15th and 16th. In addition, black and red ribbons were worn by coaches, staff, and fans courtesy of the IceHogs Booster Club.
Members of the community are invited to participate in ribbon making events on Thursday 2/21 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday 2/23 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the following locations:
Ribbons are also being assembled in the foyer of the Campus Life Building on the corner of Lucinda and Normal any time the building is open.
Black and red ribbon donations are appreciated. For more information, please call the Student Involvement and Leadership Development office at 815-753-1421.
A memorial balloon release will follow a moment of silence at 1 p.m Saturday 2/23 in Veterans Park, located in downtown Mendota, in rememberance of the victims of the campus shooting. The public is welcome to attend and write a message to attach to the balloons prior to their release. Balloons will be provided at the park. Mendota resident Julianna Gehant was one of the five students killed in the shooting on campus.
People throughout the community are wearing Huskie red and black as a show of support for NIU and the affected students.
Many DeKalb District 428 schools are hosting an NIU Spirit Wear Day on Friday, February 22nd. The staff members of the participating schools will donate 50 cents for each student wearing Huskie colors that day to the two memorial funds.
The Communiversity Cares Initiative is involved in getting signs and banners for the community, gathering donations for comfort food for students, grief counseling workshops and a community blood drive. For more information, contact Rena Cotsones, NIU Community Relations, at 815-753-0835.
Informal gatherings sponsored by the International Student and Faculty Office
The Fox Valley Park District has announced that Northern Illinois University students may use the park district’s three fitness centers at no charge until school is back in session.
"We know it’s cold outside, and we know that many NIU students from the area are at home while the investigation continues into the tragic shooting that occurred in DeKalb," said Steve Messerli, park district executive director. "We would like to provide a place for these students to come inside, meet with friends and be active while they work through the aftermath of this tragedy."
Northern Illinois University students need only show their university identification cards at the fitness centers at the Vaughan Athletic Center, 2121 W. Indian Trail Road, Aurora, (630) 907-9600; Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road, Aurora, (630) 851-8990; or Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora, (630) 859-8606.
The Kishwaukee Family YMCA has opened its doors to all NIU staff and students. The YMCA facilities can be used free of charge by showing a current student or staff ID. The YMCA is located at 2500 West Bethany Road in DeKalb. Hours and YMCA class schedules can be found at www.kishymca.org or by calling the YMCA at (815) 756-9577.
Westminster Presbyterian Church, at 830 N. Annie Glidden Road, is having a dinner on Friday, February 22 in cooperation with the Kishwaukee United Way for international students on campus. A counselor provided by Kishwaukee United Way will be present.
The Camerata Chicago concert scheduled for Saturday, February 23 at 8 p.m. at NIU has been relocated to Westminster Presbyterian Church at 830 N. Glidden Road. The freewill offering will benefit the February 14th Student Scholarship Fund. For further information, call 815-756-2905.
To help the community understand their own emotions as well as understand what to look for in identifying issues with their family members, co-workers employees and friends, the Ben Gordon Center, Family Service Agency and Youth Service Bureau are working together and offering a free wellness seminar on Saturday February 23 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Kishwaukee Community Hospital’s Conference Room in the lower level. For more information, call the Ben Gordon Center at 815-756-4875.