Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
The survey, which is expected to remain online a little while longer, can be found at downtowndayton.org and theoregondistrict.org.
“Everyone in our community is encouraged to take this survey,” said Sandy Gudorf, co-chair of the memorial committee. “The feedback we collect will be valuable as we work to create a memorial that will support our community as they continue to heal from the tragic events on Aug. 4, 2019.”
The survey asks people to rate how important it is to have a memorial that provides a place to mourn, reflect, celebrate life or be uplifted.
The 8/4 committee also wants to know whether community members believe the memorial should contain the names of the nine people who were killed in the mass shooting.
The committee also wants to know if the memorial should provide a history of the tragedy; honor the survivors; address mass casualty violence; and appeal to people of all ages.
The survey also asks how important it is to have the memorial on Fifth Street in the Oregon District.
Some survivors and community members have different ideas about what the memorial should include and where it should go.
Dion Green, whose dad, Derrick Fudge, died in his arms that night, said putting the memorial in the Oregon District means he won’t be able to visit the area without seeing a painful reminder of that traumatic experience.
Jeremy Ganger, a bouncer at Ned Pepper’s that night who helped save lives, said the memorial needs to be in the district where the tragedy happened.
He said that would ensure the lives lost and people harmed are honored and remembered every day, and putting the memorial somewhere else would diminish its relevance and impact.
Committee members said this will be a thoughtful process and community input is key.
The committee has been working with survivors, victims’ families and other people harmed by the shooting, but the entire community was impacted, said Sandy Hunt, co-chair of the committee.
“We think it is important to take into consideration the perspectives of as many people as possible,” she said.
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