FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2016

Contact: Jane Lerner, Director of Strategic Communications
Office of the County Executive (845) 638-5645

Rockland County Executive Ed Day announces vigil in memory of Florida nightclub victims

NEW CITY, N.Y. — Rockland County Executive Ed Day has announced that the county will hold a candlelight vigil at 5 p.m., Wednesday to honor the memory of those killed in the Orlando nightclub massacre.

The vigil will be held on the lawn of the Rockland County Courthouse, One South Main Street.

The vigil is being organized by Rockland Commissioner of Human Rights Penny Jennings. It will include members of Rockland's faith communities as well as representatives of LGBT groups.

All flags on county property will be set at half mast through Wednesday out of respect for the victims.

"We will not let extremists take away the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans," said Day. "An attack on one part of our community is an attack on us all."

Day noted that the Florida attack took place on the same day that the annual Rockland Gay Pride event was held in Nyack.

"Here in Rockland we celebrate the diversity that makes our community stronger," he said.

The Florida attack reminds us of the threat of extremists who are trying to destroy our way of life, Day said.

"Let us never forget those serving to protect us, whether they've our Armed Forces deployed overseas or our law enforcement officers protecting our homeland," he said.