the Dialogue

2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center 

The Role of Memorials

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IN THIS ISSUE

1 In This Issue

2 Data Snapshot

3 Contributors

4 Recent Technical Assistance Requests

5 United Flight 93

8 Pentagon Memorial

9 Oklahoma City: Run To Remember

12 Virginia Tech: The Courage To Move Forward

15 Catherine’s Heart: Helping Communities Grow in Compassion

17 The Reflection Terrace

17 Recommended Resources

The Dialogue is a quarterly technical assistance journal on disaster behavioral health which 

is produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC). Through the pages of The Dialogue, disaster 

behavioral health professionals share information and resources while examining the 

disaster behavioral health preparedness and response issues that are important to the field. 

The Dialogue also provides a comprehensive look at the disaster training and technical 

assistance services SAMHSA DTAC provides to prepare states, territories, tribes, and local 

entities so they can deliver an effective behavioral health (mental health and substance 

misuse) response to disasters. To receive The Dialogue, please go to SAMHSA’s home 

page (http://www.samhsa.gov), click the “Sign Up for SAMHSA Email Updates” button, enter 

your email address, and mark the checkbox for “SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance 

newsletter, The Dialogue,” which is listed in the Newsletters section.

SAMHSA DTAC provides disaster technical assistance, training, consultation, resources, 

information exchange, and knowledge brokering to help disaster behavioral health 

professionals plan for and respond effectively to mental health and substance misuse needs 

following a disaster.

To learn more, please call 1-800-308-3515, email DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov, or visit the 

SAMHSA DTAC website at http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac.

The Dialogue is not responsible for the information provided by any web pages, materials, or organizations referenced in this publication. Although 

The Dialogue includes valuable articles and collections of information, SAMHSA does not necessarily endorse any specific products or services 

provided by public or private organizations unless expressly stated. In addition, SAMHSA does not necessarily endorse the views expressed by such 

sites or organizations, nor does SAMHSA warrant the validity of any information or its fitness for any particular purpose.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 1

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

In This Issue

Memorial means a structure or event designed to 

remind people of a person or event. First used in 

the 14th century, the word “memorial” comes from 

the Latin memoriale meaning a record, memory, or 

monument.1

 Memorials can take many forms, and they 

may be poignant to a few or to many. For example, the 

permanent and historical monuments in Washington, 

DC, are known to many worldwide, but other memorials 

may be temporary—for example, roadside memorials—

and significant only to those who knew the person(s) 

who perished there.

Who are memorials really for, and do memorials serve 

an important purpose in healing and recovery? The study 

1 Memorial. (n.d.). In Oxford dictionaries. Retrieved from http://www.

oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/memorial

of memorialization and community grief in the wake 

of disaster spans multiple disciplines—psychology, 

medicine, cultural and anthropological studies, history, 

religion, and art. While the literature is rich with cultural 

studies of memorialization, few studies of disasterbereaved populations exist to determine the effects of 

memorials on the grieving process for families and 

communities. There are also gaps in research on how 

families and communities are affected by sudden and 

violent losses. Research has so far mainly focused on 

individual reactions to loss and trauma.

The context and design of memorials and monuments 

in the United States has evolved over time. Erika Doss 

observes an “explosion” of memorial-making in the 

United States and Europe in the last few decades, and 

Photo: U.S. Navy
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 2

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

with it, a transformation: “In contrast to the ennobling, 

authoritative, and pious monuments of the past, today’s 

memorials are especially disposed to individual 

memories and personal grievances, and often attuned 

to tragic and traumatic historical episodes and eras.”2 In 

Monument Wars: Washington, D.C., the National Mall, 

and the Transformation of the Memorial Landscape, 

author Kirk Savage discusses the emergence of a 

comparatively new form: the “therapeutic memorial” 

that is designed to “heal the collective psychological 

injury” of large-scale traumatic events.3

This edition of The Dialogue seeks to understand the 

role of memorials in individual and community healing 

by exploring several memorials across the country 

that pay tribute to the victims and survivors of acts 

of terrorism and mass violence. Through photos and 

words, the contributors to this edition share how the 

memorial came to be and how it has affected them 

and their communities. Some are designed as events 

of remembrance for those lost in a community and a 

2 Doss, E. (2008). The emotional life of contemporary public memorials: Towards 

a theory of temporary memorials. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam University 

Press.

3 Savage, K. (2009). Monument wars: Washington, D.C., the National Mall, and 

the transformation of the memorial landscape. Berkeley, California: University of 

California Press.

nation. One mother chose to turn her grief into action 

by creating an animal sanctuary honoring her daughter’s 

love of animals and compassion for others. All of these 

memorials serve as important reminders of those whose 

lives ended too soon, but they also call us to action—to 

be aware, to be prepared, and most of all to be kind.

To add your voice, or to receive technical assistance 

for disaster behavioral health needs, email 

DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Warmest regards,

CAPT Erik Hierholzer, B.S.N.

Program Management Officer, Emergency Mental 

Health and Traumatic Stress Services Branch

Erik.hierholzer@samhsa.hhs.gov

LCDR Stephanie Felder, LCSW, BCD

Program Project Officer, Emergency Mental Health and 

Traumatic Stress Services Branch

Stephanie.Felder@samhsa.hhs.gov

Brenda Mannix

SAMHSA DTAC Project Director

DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov

DATA SNAPSHOT

Disaster Survivors Reached by Age

This graph shows the number of people reached, by 

age, so far during fiscal year 2016 through the Crisis 

Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) 

in Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Northern 

Mariana Islands, and South Carolina. The data 

were gathered during individual/family and group 

encounters. Through all the encounters, the CCP 

provided crisis counseling services to a total of 

7,224 survivors. 

65%(4,695)

AGE 18 – 64

20% (1,418) 

OVER AGE 65

15%(1,111) 

UNDER 

AGE 18
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 3

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Contributors

MaryJane Hartman joined 

the National Park Service in 

1989 and has risen through the 

ranks to her current position as 

Acting Chief, Interpretation and 

Education, at Flight 93 National 

Memorial. She has worked at Independence National 

Historical Park and Delaware Water Gap National 

Recreation Area where she was the supervisor of the 

Dingmans Falls Visitor Center and then promoted to 

Interpretive Specialist.

Marie Wreath is a mom of two 

grown daughters, a passionate 

runner, and a casual blogger in 

central Oklahoma. She and her 

husband of 15 years run a small 

hobby farm full of gardens, 

large animals, poultry, and honeybees.

Kelly McCann joined the staff of the Virginia Tech Office 

of Recovery and Support in 2008. In 2011, the office 

transitioned into Alumni Relations, where Ms. McCann 

continues her work in family relations, serves as the 

operational director for the university-wide Day of 

Remembrance, and assists with many alumni programs. 

Megan Armbruster Franklin, 

Ph.D., served as the Assistant 

Director of the Office of 

Recovery and Support the 

first 3 years after the Virginia 

Tech shooting tragedy. She 

is currently Associate Director of Athletics at Drake 

University. 

Jenny Hubbard is President 

of the Catherine Violet 

Hubbard Foundation. She 

and her husband Matt are 

determined to see the Catherine 

Violet Hubbard Foundation 

support those causes that best embody their daughter’s 

beautifully kind spirit. She is committed to fulfilling 

her daughter’s dream of being a caretaker of all animals 

by realizing the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal 

Sanctuary in Newtown, Connecticut. ■
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 4

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Recent Technical Assistance Requests

In this section, read about recent questions SAMHSA DTAC staff have answered, technical assistance (TA) requests 

received, and responses to past articles in The Dialogue. Send your questions and comments to DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Request: In response to recent mass shooting 

incidents across the country, a state requested 

information on establishing an active shooter protocol, 

particularly for health care facilities. 

Response: SAMHSA DTAC provided the following 

resources:

• Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, 

Incorporating Active Shooter Incident Planning 

Into Health Care Facility Emergency Operations 

Plans. The guide describes roles and responsibilities, 

highlights potential vulnerabilities, helps assess 

facility risks, and provides practical strategies for 

implementation. 

http://www.phe.gov/preparedness/planning/

Documents/active-shooter-planning-eop2014.pdf

• California Hospital Association, Emergency 

Preparedness: Planning for Active Shooter Incidents. 

This web page contains resources to help health care 

facilities prepare for an active shooter incident.

http://www.calhospitalprepare.org/active-shooter

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Active 

Shooter Preparedness. This website offers free courses, 

materials, and workshops to better prepare individuals 

to deal with an active shooter situation and to raise 

awareness of behaviors that represent pre-incident 

indicators and characteristics of active shooters.

http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness

Request: A Community Prevention Professional 

contacted SAMHSA DTAC about resources for 

addressing the mental health needs of first responders 

and guidance on establishing peer support groups. 

Response: SAMHSA DTAC provided the following 

resources:

• Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series 

(DBHIS) Resource Collection: Disaster Responders. 

This installment of the SAMHSA DBHIS focuses on 

the behavioral health effects of responding to disasters. 

http://www.samhsa.gov/dbhis-collections/disasterresponders?term=Disaster-Responders-DBHIS

• A Guide to Managing Stress in Crisis Response 

Professions. This pocket guide provides first 

responders with information on signs and symptoms 

of stress and offers simple, practical techniques for 

minimizing stress responses prior to and during 

disaster response. http://store.samhsa.gov/product/

A-Guide-to-Managing-Stress-in-Crisis-ResponseProfessions/SMA05-4113

• Safe Call Now. This organization hosts a confidential 

crisis line for first responders and their family 

members and offers training in delivering peer support. 

Call 206-459-3020. https://www.safecallnow.org

• Best Practices for Peer Support Programs. This 

guidance document explores how to most effectively 

apply peer support in a military setting but can 

similarly be applied to the first responder population. 

http://www.dcoe.mil/content/Navigation/

Documents/Best_Practices_Identified_for_Peer_

Support_Programs_Jan_2011.pdf ■
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 5

United Flight 93:

By MaryJane Hartman, Acting Chief, Interpretation and Education, at Flight 93 National Memorial, 

National Park Service

The events of September 11, 2001, 

changed the world as we know it. 

As that fateful morning’s events 

unfolded, the world watched as 

Americans realized they were 

under attack. Feelings of anger 

and despair slowly gave way to 

a surge in pride and patriotism as 

the stories of the passengers and 

crew of United Flight 93 began to 

be told. In their final moments, the 

40 passengers and crew members 

gathered information, said their final 

goodbyes to loved ones, and took 

action against the terrorists.

Every day, visitors from all over the 

world come to the site to honor the 

memory of those 40 people. Visitors 

reflect on what the passengers and 

crew did that morning and how they 

took a vote, putting democracy into 

action, all the while being watched 

by the terrorists. Their actions 

changed the course of events, 

ultimately changing history.

Almost immediately after the crash, 

people began coming to Stonycreek 

Township near Shanksville, 

Pennsylvania. Temporary memorials 

appeared at crossroads throughout 

the countryside. Local residents 

called themselves “Ambassadors,” 

and explained what they had seen, 

how they felt that day, and, most 

importantly, told the stories of the 

lives of the passengers and crew. 

Many of these first Ambassadors 

are still telling the story today 

as volunteers with the National 

Park Service. The small town of 

Shanksville, with a population of 

200, was forever changed. The local 

residents embraced people from all 

over who came to the crash site. 

They shared stories and helped a 

grateful nation heal. And they began 

to heal as well.

On September 24, 2002, Congress 

authorized the creation of Flight 

93 National Memorial, a unit of 

the National Park Service. This 

is the only one of the terrorists’ 

targeted sites that is a unit of the 

National Park System. People are 

the common thread that tie us to 

our history and our heritage. Stories 

are passed on from generation to 

generation, and this is how we learn 

from the past. The National Park 

Service’s mission is to share this 

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Photo: National Park Service

Their actions changed 

the course of events, 

ultimately changing history.

A Field of Honor Forever
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 6

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

story and preserve and protect this 

sacred place for future generations.

An international competition was 

held to design the memorial, and 

over 1,100 entries were received 

from 27 different countries. Many 

partnering agencies and groups 

were involved in the selection, but 

the most important group was the 

Families of Flight 93. Paul Murdoch 

Architects and Nelson Byrd Wolz 

Landscape Architects carried out 

their winning design. The concept, 

focus, and intent of the design 

have remained the same since its 

inception, with only minor revisions 

made to the winning proposal as 

construction progressed and still 

continues to this day. 

The memorial design creates an 

entire living memorial landscape 

on what was once a reclaimed strip 

mine. The design is more than a 

single monument. The 3.5-mile drive 

from the entrance to the Memorial 

Plaza allows visitors time to 

decompress and focus on the rolling 

hills in this rural landscape. The 

Visitor Center Complex was recently 

dedicated and opened in September 

2015. It houses exhibits as well as 

provides a separate multi-use space 

for educational meetings, programs, 

and lectures in the Learning Center. 

Two trails allow visitors to stroll 

through the Memorial Groves 

that are part of the landscape 

management design. There are 40 

groves of 40 trees, seven different 

native Pennsylvania hardwoods 

selected for their fall foliage colors, 

which coincide with the annual 

remembrance ceremony. All of these 

elements focus the visitors’ attention 

on the crash site and debris field 

located at the Memorial Plaza and 

allow people to interact with the site 

in a unique and personal way.

The final phase of construction will 

be the Tower of Voices, a 93-foottall stone tower that will house 40 

wind chimes. As the wind blows 

across the tuned, tubular chimes, 

their “voices” will harmoniously 

blend in the skies above, as they did 

on September 11, when they came 

together as one to begin the fight 

against the terrorists. 

Visitors arrive at the memorial 

with very personal experiences 

and heightened emotions. Anger, 

pride, contempt, patriotism, sorrow, 

thankfulness—the list goes on. 

Time stood still that morning, and 

those images are vividly etched 

into the fiber of who we are today 

as a nation. Park Rangers see 

people arrive at the crash site 

who are unable to speak; they cry 

inconsolably and don’t understand 

why they are so overcome with 

emotion. These visitors walk along 

the crash site and debris field and 

visit the white marble Wall of 

Names, sited along the flight path. 

The area remains quiet and serene 

here; no programs are given in this 

location. It is a place of solitude and 

reflection. 

Photo: National Park Service

The Wall of Names area 

remains quiet and serene 

here; no programs are 

given in this location. 

It is a place of solitude 

and reflection.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 7

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Those same visitors who were 

unable to speak because of 

overwhelming emotions will now 

stop, on their way back, and talk 

with that Park Ranger or volunteer. 

They now want to share their 

personal story and remembrances. 

It is part of the healing process. 

They express gratitude—not only 

for what the passengers and crew 

did up in the sky that fateful day—

but also for the solace and healing 

that the national memorial allows 

them to find here in the fields of 

Pennsylvania. A common field one 

day; a field of honor forever. ■

Photos: National Park Service
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 8

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Top: Lights begin to illuminate the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial 

Photo: United States Coast Guard. Above: Memorial benches pay tribute 

to each of the 184 victims in the Pentagon attack. Eighty-five crape myrtle 

trees provide shade throughout the space. Photos: Martín Castillo

On September 11, 2001, two hijacked airplanes were flown through the World Trade Center in New 

York City; one was crashed into the Pentagon in northern Virginia; and a third, aimed toward Washington, 

DC, was crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, and more than 

6,000 others were injured. Among those who lost their lives were 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement 

officers. Cleanup took months, rebuilding has taken years, and total costs of the attacks have been 

estimated at $3 trillion. The September 11 attacks involved the greatest loss of lives of any terrorist incident 

in world history.

PENTAGON MEMORIAL
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 9

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

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Oklahoma City: Run To Remember

By Marie Wreath, Oklahoma Resident and Marathon Runner

The Oklahoma City Memorial 

Marathon will always be close to my 

heart, for reasons beyond the joy of 

running and even beyond civic pride 

for my hometown. This race points 

to the indelible scar of the Alfred P. 

Murrah Federal Building bombing 

on April 19, 1995. It honors the 168 

lives lost, the hundreds injured, and 

the forever-changed hearts of first 

responders. On a personal level, 

the event helps me commemorate 

the service of two first responders 

in particular, my parents-in-law, 

Harvey and Judy Wreath.

The inaugural commemorative 

race was in April 2001, but my 

involvement didn’t begin until 

12 years later when I ran my first 

half marathon. I ran for fun and to 

privately honor Harvey and Judy. It 

was a transformative experience that 

ignited something in me. 

The Memorial Marathon occurs 

every year around the bombing 

anniversary. The mood of the entire 

weekend is bright, life-affirming, 

and celebratory, but also somber and 

respectful. There is acknowledgment 

that hate and violence changed 

our city but that love conquers. 

Everyone binds together and 

reminds each other that we can heal. 

In love with the Oklahoma City 

Memorial organization, I decided 

to run my first full marathon the 

spring of 2014. Once race weekend 

Marie’s husband held up posters like this one 

to encourage her along the marathon route. 

Top: Marie runs in the Oklahoma City Memorial 

Marathon. Photos: Marie Wreath

On the morning of April 19, 1995,168 people, including 19 

young children, lost their lives when a bomb went off in a rental truck 

in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 

The bomb destroyed a third of the building; damaged or destroyed 

hundreds of buildings in a 16-block radius; and, in addition to the lives 

lost, injured more than 680 people.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 10

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

finally approached, I felt an amazing 

emotional crescendo that only grew 

stronger upon arriving downtown. 

The various events of the day are 

all held in close proximity to the 

Survivor Tree and the previous 

site of the Murrah Building, to 

the reflecting pool, the 168 empty 

chairs, the rescuers’ orchard, and 

the gorgeous pair of vaulted gates 

marking the times of the attack—so 

many visual reminders that keep 

participants cognizant of why we 

gather. The race expo is fun and 

exciting but also emits a serious, 

reverent undertone. On display are 

168 race bibs that no runner will 

ever wear. 

Sunday morning, the race itself 

starts before dawn. Thousands 

of runners fill the throat of a 

downtown street. Redbuds are in 

bloom. American flags fly. Music 

plays loud. An announcer greets 

celebrity runners, runners who travel 

from everywhere, local mainstays, 

children, survivors, and newcomers. 

The feeling of being tightly knit is 

vivid. We are called to prayer and 

the pledge of allegiance. Then, for 

168 seconds, everyone stands in 

Clockwise starting at top:

In 2015, the Run to Remember Marathon marked 

its 15th anniversary. Photo: Marie Wreath

These 168 running bibs honor those killed in the 

bombing. Photo: Marie Wreath

The Gates of Time frame the time of the 

explosion, 9:02. Photo: Marie Wreath
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 11

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

perfect silence to honor the victims, 

and many people weep. 

Running here with thousands 

of neighbors is unforgettable. 

Firefighters run in full gear carrying 

American flags, smelling of 

fire smoke. Runners wear shirts 

bearing images of lost loved ones 

or thanking rescuers or simply 

scrawled with the date “April 19, 

1995.” Spectators all along the 

route cheer and thrust into the air 

signs both funny and touching. 

Oklahoma City is known for having 

some of the best crowd support 

anywhere in the world. At the 2015 

race, near mile marker 17, just past 

Lake Hefner, my right knee hurt, 

my energy was waning badly, and 

I needed a boost. An older couple 

sat on the sidewalk in folding chairs 

holding a plain poster that read, “168 

Reasons To Keep Going.” The sight 

was both humbling and energizing.

By the final stretch of the race, 

runners have seen dozens of 

landmark neighborhoods and 

thousands of friendly faces. We feel 

loved and loving and are grateful 

to be alive. On Classen Boulevard, 

we pass beneath green and white 

banners naming every single one 

of the victims. We see the locally 

famous Gold Dome, the downtown 

skyline again, midtown near the 

museum, then at the finish line 

throngs of screaming supporters, 

hundreds of festive balloons, and 

finally the pair of vaulted gates. All 

of it together is overwhelming.

This cumulative experience is why 

so many people continue to run the 

Memorial Marathon. It’s why I hope 

to always run it. Having visited 

the museum with my father-in-law 

before race weekend, I saw how 

remembering the details helped 

him, all these years later. This race 

helps fund those efforts. I felt the 

deep and wide river of emotion 

coursing through a city healed by 

love and remembrance. These stories 

and these traditions are crucial to 

our communal well-being, and the 

annual race draws our attention here 

every spring. 

We run to remember. 

All proceeds from the Oklahoma 

City Memorial Marathon benefit the 

Oklahoma City National Memorial 

and Museum: https://www.

oklahomacitynationalmemorial.

org. For more information 

about the marathon, visit http://

okcmarathon.com. ■

An American elm tree shaded the parking lot of the Murrah Federal Building and was badly damaged in the bombing. It survived and is now surrounded by 

an orchard of red buds that honors first responders. It is all adjacent to the reflecting pool and the 168 victims’ chairs, which are flanked by the pair of vaulted 

gates. Photo: Marie Wreath
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 12

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

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Virginia Tech: The Courage To Move Forward

By Kelly Lyn McCann, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at Virginia Tech and Megan Armbruster Franklin, 

Ph.D., Associate Director of Athletics at Drake University

On April 16, 2007, 32 innocent 

lives were lost in a senseless act of 

campus violence at Virginia Tech.

In the hours following the tragedy, 

the student-driven volunteer 

organization Hokies United 

spontaneously placed 32 Hokie 

Stones in a semicircle on the 

Drillfield, the heart and soul of 

Virginia Tech’s campus, honoring 

each person slain. The 32 stones 

quickly became a gathering place to 

mourn, to pay respects, and to reflect 

on the lives of these vibrant scholars 

stolen from our midst. The stones 

physically reflected the unmitigated 

sorrow felt by our community, by 

their loved ones, and by people the 

world over. The poignant display 

inspired today’s memorial and its 

location. The permanent memorial 

was dedicated on August 19, 2007. It 

is a symbol of a promise that we will 

always remember, and never forget. 

Hokie Stone, a native limestone, 

has been part of Virginia Tech 

buildings and tradition for more 

than a century and symbolizes the 

The April 16 Memorial on Virginia Tech’s campus 

is a place where people can pay their respects to 

the shooting victims. Photo: John McCormick

Twenty-seven graduate and undergraduate students and five 

professors died at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, all shot 

by a student. Two perished in a residence hall and 25 more in 

an academic building. They ranged in age from 18 to 76 and 

represented a variety of academic areas and faith and ethnic 

groups. Dozens more students and members of the faculty and 

staff were injured or traumatized.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 13

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Photo: John McCormick

foundation of Virginia Tech. Now, it 

also symbolizes our relentless spirit, 

our courage to move forward, and 

our determination never to forget the 

32 people who died that morning. 

A single stone in the center of the 

memorial honors all the fallen and 

injured victims of that day. 

For many members of the 

community, the April 16th 

Memorial is a solemn space and 

offers solace. For others who pass 

by it every day, it is a reminder of 

our history. For many people, the 

memorial is a place for reflection 

and remembrance. It is also where 

the annual Day of Remembrance 

activities take place. When people 

visit campus or Blacksburg, Virginia, 

they often visit the memorial to pay 

their respects. Even so, there are 

some who go out of their way to 

avoid the memorial, as the memories 

of the tragic events are still so raw. 

Two benches flank the memorial in 

honor of all the survivors. During 

the bench dedication, Dr. Charles W. 

Steger, former President of Virginia 

Tech, said, “And when we tire, we 

can come to these memorial benches 

to rest, remember, and reflect—

remember these survivors, and 

reflect on their incredible strength 

through their individual journeys, 

and their desire to heal and to live 

lives of great meaning and service.”

Memorials Build Connections

Almost immediately after the 

Virginia Tech tragedy, higher 

education colleagues began to reach 

RUN IN REMEMBRANCE

In 2009, the Virginia Tech 

Department of Recreational 

Sports hosted the first annual 

3.2-Mile Run in Remembrance 

as part of the official Day of 

Remembrance activities to honor 

and remember 32 Hokies who 

were killed on April 16, 2007. 

The run is held on the Saturday 

closest to April 16 each year.

The Run in Remembrance gives 

the community an opportunity 

to reflect on the vibrant lives of 

the 32 students and faculty who 

were tragically taken from us. 

This community run/walk through 

the campus strives to bring 

fellow Hokies together to feel the 

support of the community, and to 

celebrate the lives of our friends 

and family members.

The event is free and open to 

the public; individuals may run 

or walk the 3.2-mile course, or 

volunteer to help work the event. 

Run bibs listing the names of the 

32 Hokies are provided to each 

participant. The bib also says “I 

run 3.2 for:” with a blank space 

for people to write in.

The event requires 

approximately 300 volunteers to 

provide support for the walkers 

and runners. An Implementation 

Team meets for months leading 

up to the run. Members of 

the team represent Alumni 

Relations, Department of 

Recreational Sports, Facilities, 

Parking Services, Office of 

Emergency Management, 

Student Engagement and 

Campus Life, University 

Relations, Virginia Tech Police, 

and Virginia Tech Rescue 

Squad. 

The Run in Remembrance 

has grown over the years from 

approximately 4,000 runners in 

2009, to almost 11,000 runners 

in 2015.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 14

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

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out to support the recovery efforts 

in the areas of victim services, 

community resilience, archiving, 

campus memorials, campus 

disaster readiness, and anniversary 

remembrances. As the first-year 

anniversary approached, we knew 

that we could learn from others 

who had established anniversary 

services that provided a space for 

people to be together to memorialize 

lives lost and those most intimately 

affected by the shooting tragedy. 

Colleagues from Columbine High 

School (school shooting), NASA 

(Challenger explosion), the New 

York City Mayor’s Office (9/11), 

Texas A&M (bonfire collapse), 

and Oklahoma City (Federal 

Building attack) freely shared their 

experiences. We had open access to 

the information we needed in order 

to create a remembrance event that 

would be meaningful in tone and 

a framework we could go back to 

each year. From phone calls with 

key organizing personnel to mailings 

with videos of their services, scripts 

from every year they had conducted 

memorials, and hard copy programs, 

informational brochures, and gifts of 

remembrance, nothing was off limits 

in question or need. 

The embrace from colleagues was 

incredibly valuable during the 

darkest times for the Virginia Tech 

community. We are thankful that 

through their own grief they were 

able to help us and bring us comfort. 

Their generous support meant that 

we were able to plan anniversary 

programs that are designed directly 

from lessons we learned and 

continue to go back to as we now 

look toward the 10th anniversary 

of the shootings on April 16, 2017. 

We have since served as support for 

colleagues who have experienced 

tragedies on their own campuses—

we are reminded that our phone call 

brought forward memories to our 

colleagues, as they do for us, that 

pull at our hearts for the victims 

who had loved ones killed and carry 

physical and emotional scars for a 

lifetime.

We remember. We are Virginia Tech. 

You can learn more at http://www.

weremember.vt.edu. ■

Excerpts taken from the Virginia 

Tech April 16th Memorial brochure 

As the first-year anniversary approached, we knew 

that we could learn from others who had established 

anniversary services that provided a space for people 

to be together to memorialize lives lost and those 

most intimately affected by the shooting tragedy.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, 32 

Hokie Stones were placed on the site that would 

eventually become the permanent memorial. 

Photos: Michael Kiernan (full view) and John 

McCormick (close-up)
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 15

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

Catherine’s Heart: Helping Communities 

Grow in Compassion

By Jenny Hubbard, President of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation 

My daughter Catherine adored 

animals—feathered or furry, 

slimy or scaly, she loved them all 

unconditionally. Before she could 

walk, she would scoot across the 

floor to be nose to nose with our dog 

Sammy. Before she could manage a 

full sentence, she tasked Santa with 

bringing her two fish. Catherine’s 

heart was simply being kind to all 

animals. She told my husband Matt 

and me that one day she would have 

a place for all the animals, even 

going as far as creating business 

cards for “Catherine’s Animal 

Shelter” and appointing herself 

“Care Taker.” I will always picture 

her cupping a beautiful butterfly in 

her tiny hands. She’d whisper to it 

as it took flight and would tell us 

that it was going to tell its friends 

she was kind and they would come 

back. Not surprisingly, we would 

be mesmerized by the flocks of 

butterflies nestled in our gardens. 

Sadly, Catherine’s gentle whisper 

was silenced on December 14, 2012. 

A gunman took the lives of 6 adults 

and 20 children at Sandy Hook 

Elementary. Catherine was among 

the children killed. 

So much was lost that day: Matt and 

I lost our daughter, my son Freddy 

lost his sister, the world lost its 

innocence. In the time since, though, 

Photo from CVHFoundation.com

The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary will be 

a place for the community to connect, share, learn, 

and grow.

On December 14, 2012, 20 children, all 6 or 7 years old, and 

six adults were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 

Newtown, Connecticut. More people lost their lives that day than in any 

other mass shooting at a school for K–12 students in U.S. history.
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 16

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

we have found things: love, support, 

kindness, and community. We have 

found hope and we have found a 

new purpose. We are Catherine’s 

voice, her hopes, and her dreams, 

and we will create a place where her 

kindness will be felt not only by all 

creatures, but also by every person 

and community it touches. We will 

realize Catherine’s dream through 

the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal 

Sanctuary.

In September 2014, Connecticut 

State House of Representatives, 

Senate, and Governor Dannel P. 

Malloy conveyed to the Catherine 

Violet Hubbard Foundation 34 

acres of pristine farmland with 

breathtaking woodlands and rolling 

meadows. The Sanctuary, currently 

under development, will serve as 

a beacon of hope and embody the 

beauty, optimism, and purity of all 

that lies ahead. We were humbled as 

Governor Malloy stated, “It is beyond 

inspiring that Catherine’s love and 

compassion for animals will live on 

through this sanctuary for generations 

to come.”

Our goal for the Catherine Violet 

Hubbard Animal Sanctuary is to 

reflect empathy for all creatures 

by providing state-of-the-art care 

for its animal residents, hands-on 

educational programming for the 

Newtown community, and volunteer 

opportunities for those looking to 

share their time and knowledge. 

It will be a place where displaced 

animals will find shelter. Abused or 

neglected farm animals will find rest 

and refuge. Injured wildlife will 

receive healing support until they are 

able to be released into their natural 

homes. 

The Sanctuary will be a place for 

the community to connect, share, 

learn, and grow. The expansive 

meadows and trails provide quiet 

places to reflect and dream. Classes 

focused on the arts will encourage 

imaginations to explore unlimited 

possibilities. In teaching the 

community ways in which to care 

for animals and the environment, we 

believe we help communities grow 

in compassion and acceptance and 

in turn make the world a little kinder 

and gentler for all. 

The expansive 

meadows and trails 

provide quiet places 

to reflect and dream.

Top photos: Jenny 

and Matt Hubbard. 

Photo right: Marleen 

Cafarelli 

We hope as people visit the 

Sanctuary in the future whether 

they explore its natural beauty, 

participate in its programs, or care 

for the animals that live here—we 

hope they feel Catherine. We hope 

all creatures will know that here 

they are safe and that humans are 

kind. We hope children will know 

compassion and see their own innate 

beauty in the eyes of a lamb, deer, 

or kitten. Here, we hope the world 

sees how peace begins: through 

love, respect, and kindness. At the 

Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal 

Sanctuary, we will all heal, together. 

To learn more about our efforts visit 

http://CVHFoundation.org. ■
2016 | VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 17

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center the Dialogue

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

The Behavioral Health Response to 

Mass Violence

This webcast informs disaster behavioral health 

professionals about the psychological responses to 

mass violence and suggests strategies and interventions 

to provide immediate support and mitigate long-term, 

negative mental health consequences.

View the webcast at http://bit.ly/1RoYNxP

Terrorism DBHIS Installment

This installment of SAMHSA’s Disaster Behavioral 

Health Information Series (DBHIS) presents resources 

for a variety of audiences about how to cope with the 

aftermath of a terrorist incident. 

View the installment at http://1.usa.gov/1LWOPUi

How To Cope With Sheltering 

in Place

This tip sheet offers ways people can cope with 

sheltering in place. It explains reactions people often 

feel when sheltering in place, and suggests ways to care 

for oneself and the family, such as making a plan and 

staying connected. 

Read and download the tip sheet at http://1.usa.

gov/22XELOX

Spanish version: http://1.usa.gov/1REy67h ■

Photos: Martín Castillo

Over 3 weeks in October 2002, 10 people were killed, and three others severely injured, in a series of 

shootings in Washington, DC, and in nearby areas in Maryland and Virginia. Seven were shot, and 6 killed, 

within the first 15 hours of the 3-week period. Public anxiety rose until the shooters were arrested.

THE REFLECTION TERRACE
∙

Behavioral Health is Essential To Health

Prevention Works • Treatment is Effective • People Recover

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your email address in the “SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin” section of the home page of our 

website at http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac.

The SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series contains resource 

collections and toolkits pertinent to disaster behavioral health. Installments focus on 

specific populations, specific types of disasters, and other topics related to all-hazards 

disaster behavioral health preparedness and response. Visit the SAMHSA DTAC 

website at http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/dbhis-collections to access these materials.

CONTACT US

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Assistance Center

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DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov

http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac