GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — The community is coming together through vigils and acts of kindness as residents continue to mourn Sunday's deadly shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.
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With heavy hearts, those in Grand Blanc and Grand Blanc Township are still processing the violence that occurred at the local church. The tragedy has left many residents searching for answers.
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"Very saddened. A lot of mixed emotions running through my head. Why?" said Robert Hempel, who lives in the Grand Blanc area.
As the community manages their grief, many are finding solace in coming together. On Tuesday, dozens gathered at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims and start their own healing.
"We're repairers of the breach, and we're more than honored to create this space and the facilitation for people to have a container to pause together, come together, lament, and begin the healing process," said Amity Lovette, regional manager of spiritual care for Henry Ford Health.
The community support is far-reaching. In Grand Blanc, 10-year-old Evelyn Baugh and a group of her friends are spreading hope by giving out flowers, collecting donations for the victims, and passing along notes of positivity throughout their neighborhood.
"The big accident happened, and we thought that maybe selling flowers for free would make people happy," Evelyn said.
Evelyn's handwritten notes carry messages of encouragement during this difficult time.
"Things are tough, but you are tougher. And we like to put the pictures in there and stuff like that. I put a 10-pound weight, and I put a person holding 100 pounds," she said.
On her first day of giving out flowers, Evelyn sold out completely. For those who stopped by her flower stand, the gesture provided much-needed hope.
"Seeing things like this where kids are just trying to make a good impact and trying to turn things around just makes me really happy and optimistic for the future," said Kaitlyn Robinson, from Grand Blanc.
Evelyn's mother, Kristie Baugh, said the shooting's impact on children weighed heavily on her mind, especially after schools were canceled Monday.
"We're like, my goodness, what do we even tell them?" Kristie Baugh said.
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While she says no child should have to experience such a tragedy, she's proud of the positive impact her daughter's flower stand is making in the community.
"I can't believe how much I blew up and the support that we got and such positive reaction from something she didn't think twice about," Kristie Baugh said.
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