Flickering candles may have struggled to keep alight against a cold, strong wind, but the atmosphere of a vigil in memory of Josie Glenn warmed the hearts of the community members it brought together.
Volunteers gave out more than 300 purple light bulbs Thursday night, beneath a darkly lit park pavilion in the southeast Summerside neighbourhood where Glenn’s remains were found nearly two weeks ago.
Once installed on porches and garages in the quiet community, their purple glow will show support for the family and friends of a woman being remembered for her talented singing voice, bubbly personality, and love of animals.
“She’s just the most beautiful girl,” said lead organizer, Kathrine McIntyre.
“I got to talk to her family a lot. She seemed like a really, really nice girl. They say it’s hard to remember a time she was ever in a bad mood, or was mad at anyone.”
Some of Glenn’s family members were among those gathered at Meadowgate Park, including her sister and brother-in-law. They chose not to speak to the roughly 150 people who attended the vigil, but one of Glenn’s neighbours did.
“I wish I was around that day,” he said, explaining how he and his wife would share car rides with Glenn.
He reflected fondly on the second day he drove the young woman and how she insisted on buying him a sub.
“She’s very generous. We’re all sadly going to miss her,” he explained. “My wife still sees her, sitting in the side of the car when she drives.”
Community members shared a moment of silence in Glenn’s memory before the vigil drew to a close with the sound of her recorded voice filling the air with renditions of Katy Perry’s Firework and Blind Melon’s No Rain.
A floodlight and two outdoor garage lights already bathe Tammy Faulkner’s home in a purple wash. She’s one of many volunteers who helped McIntyre find and clear out the stock of purple floodlights and LED lights at businesses all across South Western Ontario.
Organizers say over $2,000 has been raised for LAWC from the light bulb donations.
Tara Mazur moved to a nearby south-London community from Toronto last year. She has two floodlights and three purple lights shining at her home.
“This is a time of sadness, and this shouldn’t have happened for so many reasons,” she said.
But when people pass through the neighbourhood and see a swath of purple light, she hopes it’ll remind them how “everyone stands together in tragedy and in times of need.”
Glenn’s remains were discovered in a home on South Leaksdale Circle in the Summerside neighbourhood on Oct 27th, days after she was reported missing.
Oluwatobi Boyede, 25, is charged with second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a human body in the case. He’s set to appear in court next by video-link on Friday.
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