February 14, 2008 Memorial

Items

• Posters from Connie, Kathleen, & Kimberly Brown, and Linda Westholder of Roscoe, Illinois
  Newspaper collage on canvas with various clippings from Rockford Register Star in the weeks following the shooting at NIU. Posters were on display in the 2/14 Memorial Center in the Holmes Student Center. Also included was a note from the creators to the NIU memorial in a black frame. Quantity: 3. Size: 16" wide by 20" tall by .75" thick.
• MLK Commons Memorial Panel 2
  The Regional History Center/University Archives at NIU has the mission of preserving and documenting the history of the university, including those as incomprehensive as the tragic event that occurred on campus on Thursday, February 14, 2008. One way our community helped each other was by writing messages of support on the Memorial Panels that were placed in the Martin Luther King Commons. When the A-frame boards were dismantled, the Message Panels were brought to the Regional History Center/University Archives for permanent preservation. Then the panels were layered in archival tissue, wrapped around archival tubes, and covered with muslin cloth and ties for permanent preservation in the Archives. Originally there were eight panels placed in the Martin Luther King Commons. Due to the weather, two of the panels were removed on March 19, 2008 and blank canvass were installed so additional messages of support could be added.
• Care Package from the College of DuPage
  Items included in care package are as follows: Item #1: School newspaper - Courier - from February 22, 2008. The headline on the paper reads: NIU grief counseling provided to students. Inside the paper on page 3 is an announcement of the upcoming NIU Day of Remembrance on February 25th, 2008. Item #2: School newspaper - Courier - from February 29, 2008. The headline on the paper reads: Monday's standing room only memorial allows students, employees time to grieve NIU's loss. Inside paper on page 3 is an article about the DuPage Ribbon & Button Project for NIU Remembrance. Item #3: Black marble paperweight with gray etching with DuPage logo reading: College of DuPage Foundation. Item #4: Shiny, dark gray ball-point pen with DuPage logo reading on cap: College of DuPage. Item #5: White button with crying huskie dog logo reading in black and red: Today we are all Huskies: College of DuPage. Attached to pin is a small black ribbon. Size: 2.25" diameter. Item #6: Leather journal with feather pen on cover and gold-trim pages. Inside are messages and signatures from the community of the College of DuPage. About half of the pages are filled with hundreds of messages. First page has a poem by William Wordsworth entitled "Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood." Size: 7" wide by 9.25" tall. Item #7: Photographs from the College of DuPage's Day of Remembrance for NIU. Two print-outs of photographs, the rest of which are included in their original size on a CD-R. Item #8: Program / Transcription of the proceedings of the NIU Day of Remembrance held at the College of DuPage on February 25, 2008. Program is bound together with black ribbon and has a crying huskie dog logo at the top of the front page. Size: 8.5" wide by 11" tall.
• Music CD from Bob Gora & Robert Gora, Jr.
  CD in orange plastic sleeve reading: A song to remember: We hope these songs touch your heart. Songs on CD include: 1. "I Hope Not" 3:49 2. I'm Right Here 3:46 Letter included with explanation and history of songs reading: "Bobby G": "Our Schools". Letter mentions writing a song after the Columbine shootings.
• Quilt from Mary Chesnut
  White quilt with gray pattern reading: Heartbroken. On the quilt are the following decorations: (1) five crosses in snow with each of the five victims names and a small fabric rose sewn onto them; (2) a tree with broken hearts on the branches; (3) a photograph of NIU Campus; (4) a map of northern Illinois with a bullseye on DeKalb; (5) a calendar of the month of February with a red ribbon pinned on the 14th; and (6) two messages of support (one being a Native American proverb). There is also a note sewn on the back explaining the significance of the quilt's creation. Size: 23.5" wide by 29.5" tall.
• Framed Condolence Note / Resolution from the University of Maine Student Senate
  Framed document reading: General Student Senate Resolution: Resolution #295-68-02-19-08: An Act To: Extend the condolences of the University of Maine Student Government to the Student Body of Northern Illinois University. The document condemns school violence of all forms. Signed by James Lyons, Steven Moran & Amy M. Grant. Size: 11" wide by 13" tall.
• Plaque from Barbara Broderick (Northern Illinois University Alumnus) from Campus Memorials
  Stone plaque with red and black huskie dog with tear logo over black ribbon and red triangle accents. Back of plaque has "Feb. 14, 2008" etched into it and a note reading: For all that suffered [...] . Note mentions having a daughter (Jenna) who was in Cole Hall at the time of the shooting. Plaque has been damaged due to weather. Size: 12" long by 12" wide by 1.125" thick.
• Poster from Concordia University
  Poster-sized card made of light blue construction paper reading on front: We shared in your grief: We are bound to you by hope.... Inside are various messages of support, prayers and signatures. One message is written in Korean. Letter stapled to the inside signed by Theresa Haas which mentions Virginia Tech. Size: 14" tall by 11" wide.
• Posters and T-Shirt from Virginia Tech Student Calling Center
  White poster reading in red: Hokies [heart] Huskies. Other white poster reading in orange: With Love, VT Student Calling Center. Various messages, prayers and signatures on each poster. One message mentions (on poster with orange text) losing a friend in the Virginia Tech shooting. Also included was a maroon T-shirt reading on front in orange: VTSCC: Think.: Feel.: Give. Back of shirt has a VT cartoon turkey logo and reads in orange: Don't call us, we'll call you! Inscription on back with various signatures reading in silver: We Will All Prevail. Size: (Posters) 28" long by 22" tall; (Shirt) Medium.
• Banners from Kishwaukee College
  Banner (1) Large multi-colored laminated banner reading: Hope: Love: Unity: Support.: To [NIU Huskies logo] from [KC logo] Kishwaukee College. Also has black and white 2" by 3" photographs of each victim. Various messages, prayers, drawings and signatures from students. Size: 75" by 24". Banner (2) Large white laminated banner reading in red and black: NIU: United with you in Peace: Your brothers and sisters from Kishwaukee College: To [NIU logo with ribbon] from [KC logo] Kishwaukee College. Various messages and signatures from students and a poem referencing the shooter by Nicole Theissing. Various drawings as well. Specific messages to Daniel Parmenter, Catalina Garcia and Ryanne Mace. Other languages: Hebrew, Latin and perhaps more. Reference to geology: "Mente et Malleo" (which is Latin for "with mind and hammer") next to a stick-figure with a rock-hammer. Size: 71" by 24".