Updated: 11/2/2008 12:16:51 AM
25 local churches and community groups declared 2009 a Year of Nonviolence in East Tennessee. The declaration came prior to the third annual "Walk for Nonviolence" at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, where a shooter killed two people and injured six others in July. Saturday's event was planned long before this summer's shooting. The TVUUC also hosted the "Walk for Nonviolence" the last two years. But organizers said the message of nonviolence seemed especially significant considering it was held just outside the scene of one of this year's most brutally violent acts. "The shootings here and in the local schools have made people aware that we're not immune to violence in our communities," said event organizer Ralph Hutchison. He added, "It's not just happening in a war in Iraq or in Afghanistan or somewhere far away. It's something that impacts all of our lives every day." Angelina Carpenter was one of several participants in the five mile walk from the church through Tipton Park. "I came here the morning of the incident [shooting] and I thought about that pulling into the parking lot today," said Carpenter Although the location of the event was a somber reminder of this summer's violence, the overall mood of the event was upbeat on a sun-soaked afternoon. "I just think it's neat that we come from all walks of life and that we can come together and support each other," said Carpenter. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam also declared Saturday an official day to celebrate nonviolence.
