Sunday event to mark one week since tragedy on Trestle Trail, "show strength in times of uncertainty and fear"

MENASHA (WITI) -- On Sunday, May 17th from 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – exactly two weeks after the tragedy on the Trestle Trail Bridge occurred – the community will gather to remember, heal and move forward.

“The goal of the Hands Over the Fox event is to demonstrate compassion for the families of Jon and Olivia Stoffel and Adam Bentdahl, to show appreciation to the emergency personnel who acted so bravely, and to show community strength in times of uncertainty and fear. Our community needs to come together to grieve and begin healing, and choosing to do so at the location of this devastating shooting is a visible sign that we will move forward strong and undivided," Paul Brunette, Goodwill Industries, NCW said.

Community members will gather on both sides of the Trestle Trail Bridge beginning at 6:30 p.m.

At 7:00 p.m., there will be a brief invocation (Don Merkes, mayor of the City of Menasha and Dale Youngquist, chairman of the Town of Menasha will speak, among others). Then, people will be asked to walk onto the bridge from either side until both sides meet in the middle. Hands will be joined and raised during a moment of silence in honor of the lives lost. Nearby churches are asked to ring their bells at 7:33 p.m.

Immediately following, boaters and kayakers in the surrounding water will collectively sound their horns and release flares as another sign of community strength and support.

“There isn’t a member of our community who hasn’t been changed by the tragedy that occurred on the Trestle Trail Bridge. We encourage local business leaders to promote this event to their employees, clients and the broader community to ensure that everyone in the Fox Valley who wants to can participate in this opportunity for togetherness and healing," Greg Vandenberg, director of giving and community engagement with U.S. Venture, Inc. said.

There are several options to provide financial support to the Stoffel family and in Adam’s memory already created. A list of ways to give will be listed on the website www.handsoverthefox.com, coming soon.

For up-to-date information on the Hands Over the Fox event and how you can help, visit www.facebook.com/handsoverthefox.

Hands Over the Fox