UCC shooting victims honored at 3rd annual Umpqua Strong walk
Organizers said Saturday's event was about honoring the nine lives lost and healing together as a community.
Updated: Sep 30, 2018 12:13 AM
Posted By: Madison Glassman
Roseburg, Ore. -- The Umpqua Strong 9K and 5K run/walk was held Saturday morning at Stewart Park in Roseburg as the community continues to heal three years after the shooting at Umpqua Community College.
Monday, October 1st, marks three years since a student opened fire in a classroom at UCC, killing eight of his classmates and his teacher.
Organizers said Saturday's event was about honoring and remembering the nine lives lost, but also about unity and healing together as a community.
"I want to cry because we're all out here and seeing everyone come together," said Lynn McAllister, Secretary and Treasurer of Umpqua Strong. "It's just heartwarming to know that we're all here for one cause to remember...remember everyone who was impacted that day."
Remembering is exactly what UCC's Men's Basketball Team showed up to do.
"Everyday we think about Treven and...we try and be stronger," says Daniel Leeworthy, Coach of UCC's Men's Basketball Team.
Leeworthy said the tragic events in October of 2015 impact his life every day. He said there's not a day that goes by where he doesn't think about his former player, Treven Anspach.
"At the time of the basketball season, we said we won't be defined by adversity but we'll be defined of how be overcame adversity...and every day since that day, we try to live life to be better people and be our best selves and represent Treven," Leeworthy said.
Although student Eric Klekas never got the chance to play basketball with Treven, he still honors his legacy.
"It's awesome," Klekas said. "We ave 15 guys on our team…we're all here in his (Treven's) legacy to carry on what he tried to do then. So, it's kind of a big deal for me."
Organizers said at last check, about 750 people registered on Saturday and they said the money raised goes to nine grants for charities in honor of the victims.
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