Those whose lives have been affected by the murder of a loved one will have a special event Thursday as part of a national event.

As part of the National Remembrance Day for Murder Victims, a ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Muskogee Civic Center at the intersection of West Okmulgee Avenue and Fourth Street.

In preparation, students from Indian Capital Technology Center put up red and white ribbons in the downtown area.

One of those was Samie Stout, 26, who has a special understanding of the importance of the event.

“My mom was murdered in October of 2003,” she said. “I got involved in this because it means helping people deal with the loss of their loved ones.”

Stout said she hopes the ceremony will raise public awareness about how many are affected by murder.

“More people are realizing there are a lot of people who have lost loved ones,” she said. “And their family member being gone is not the only thing they are losing. Four people in our class alone have someone in their family who is a murder victim.”

Stout said she looks forward to the Thursday ceremony, which will feature two scheduled speakers, along with others who want to tell their personal story. Organizers also will release a dove in a symbolic gesture.

One of those organizers is Pamela Stonebarger, instructor for the ICTC class that put up the red and white ribbons. Her son Jonathan Scott Cannon was a murder victim in January 2004.

“This is just the second National Remembrance Day for Murder Victims,” she said. “This is the first one I know of in Muskogee. After the formal ceremony, we will open it up to any family who might want to say something. We just want people to stop and take a few minutes to remember all the families of murder victims. It does mean a lot to people. It’s going to be a really nice little event.”

Stonebarger said the dove release holds special significance for her.

“About a week after my son was murdered, a dove landed in my mother’s driveway,” she said. “I’m praying this dove will go to someone who needs it.”

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