Community memorial for Umpqua CC tragedy unveiled

GREEN, Ore. (AP) – A memorial honoring how the community came together after the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College has been unveiled south of Roseburg.

The News-Review reports (https://is.gd/bPINpA ) the memorial is in the community of Green, in front of the Pacific Power operations center.

A 70-foot-tall flagpole that flies a large flag can be seen from Interstate 5. Nine concrete pillars stand behind the flagpole, representing those who lost their lives.

Each of the nine letters in “UCC Strong” rest on the front face of the pillars.

The flagpole and pillars sit in front of a steel-cut silhouette backdrop of four adults and three children holding hands. They represent the community.

Pacific Power and other local businesses joined forces to get the memorial built. It was unveiled during a private gathering on the one-year anniversary of the October 2015 shooting. It’s now open to the public.

Meanwhile, Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., welcomed Wednesday a $1.2 million federal grant to Douglas County and the city of Roseburg that will help the community’s recovery from the Oct. 1, 2015 campus shooting.

These funds will help county and city agencies continue their exemplary work to support victims and all those affected by the 2015 shooting.

“Umpqua Community College, Douglas County and Roseburg displayed remarkable resiliency in the face of unspeakable tragedy, and fully deserve this federal support for the ongoing work,” Wyden said. “I am pleased to have worked to secure this essential grant that helps cover the emotional and financial costs of this crisis. And I remain committed to supporting the college and the entire Roseburg community as they continue taking the steps that make all Oregonians proud.”

“All of Douglas County, the City of Roseburg and the UCC community experienced an unfathomable trauma last October, and the last thing they should have to worry about is the financial cost of this horrific attack,” said Merkley. “This grant shows that our nation is committed to helping the entire community recover and heal, and I thank the Department of Justice for recognizing and supporting these important needs. Healing from an attack like this one is never a fast or an easy process, and I will continue standing by Douglas County, Roseburg and UCC’s side as they work to move forward in the years ahead.”

“I’m proud to have helped Douglas County and the City of Roseburg receive this much-needed grant,” said DeFazio. “In a time of crisis, local support organizations stepped forward to help our community deal with truly terrible events. This grant will provide financial assistance for the incredible services they performed for the victims of last year’s tragedy. I will continue to work to ensure that Roseburg, Douglas County, and UCC both have the resources necessary to move forward and heal.”

Merkley, Wyden and DeFazio had urged the Department of Justice to provide this assistance without delay in a letter (attached) sent earlier this month.

The $1.2 million antiterrorism and emergency assistance program grant from the federal Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime to the state of Oregon is designed to reimburse organizations for supplemental victim-related costs from the UCC campus shooting.

The grant also provides funds to support crisis response and services to help victims, witnesses and first responders.