This week has been a rough one in the 307 most of us love so much.
And yet, there is good to be found.
Two women are organizing “Wyoming for Olivia,” Friday, February 14, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., at various locations throughout the state.
In a Facebook event posted late Wednesday, they wrote,
“If you feel it in your heart, please gather your community members (even if it’s just a few) from wherever you are located to join us in an hour of prayer, reflection, and an outward showing of solidarity for one of our beloved Wyoming communities. If I know anything about the people in this state, it’s that we love one another and we show up to support one another when needed.
“Let’s show this family the goodness in the world and that they are not alone right now.”
Olivia, 7, is the lone survivor of the shooting that killed her three sisters, 9, 2 and 2, and her mom in their northern Wyoming home Monday afternoon.
According to authorities, the mom shot the four girls, called 911 and then shot herself as law enforcement was on the way.
At this writing, Olivia is fighting for her life in a Salt Lake City hospital.
So where we may have been thinking about our Valentines date just days ago, let’s pray for Olivia before the steak and crab legs.
I will also pray for the first responders and the dispatcher who took that call.
Byron is not the only Wyoming town that evil came to visit this week.
Yet another teen shooting occurred in Casper on Wednesday evening, with an 18-year-old arrested for involuntary manslaughter, according to bookin documents from the Natrona County Detention Center.
The shooting took place in a neighborhood north of Kelly Walsh High School.
So yet more families are grieving and wondering why.
As we put the wrap on football season, August 28 cannot come soon enough.
Our Super Bowl was watching Josh Allen win the Most Valuable Player award a week ago, with his beautiful fiancée, Hailee, and his parents in the front row.
I did not think he would win it, although he certainly would have had my vote.
And folks around the country were talking about the Super Bowl ad featuring Josh and the University of Wyoming.
No, not everyone saw it. It was a regional buy on Fox in markets where Wyoming traditionally has good luck recruiting students.
Lots of folks in Arizona saw it, Houston too.
We didn’t see it during the game at all, but we did see it at the start of halftime of our Wyoming-New Mexico basketball game on FS1 Wednesday night.
Speaking of basketball, you just wish with your whole heart that all of these brand new players Sunny Wicks brought would stick around.
Most of them won’t, because they are either out of eligibility or somebody will call offering more money.
It’s the way of college sports these days, and it’s not a very good way.
As the shortest month hits its midway point, let’s hug those we love, check on our neighbors and instead of asking if they need anything (often they don’t know what they need), offer to sit with the kids while mom showers or naps, take a pot of soup and a loaf of bread, or make an activity box that might include a coloring book and crayons if there are little kids, a jigsaw puzzle or a book of crossword puzzles.
The dark gets long, but the light is coming.
Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at: SallyAnnShurmur@gmail.com
