Columbine marked mostly by private rites

Charley Able, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, April 21, 2005

JEFFERSON COUNTY - About 20 people gathered under leaden skies at Clement Park Wednesday, linking hands in prayer to remember the lives lost and those forever changed in the April 20, 1999, carnage at Columbine High School.

"Every one is in my thoughts and prayers," a tearful Annie Ford said as she gazed at 13 small crosses bearing the names, ages and pictures of 12 of her fellow classmates and a teacher killed six years ago.

Ford was a senior at the school when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a murderous attack, committing the most lethal school shooting in the nation's history before taking their own lives.

Others at the informal remembrance at the park knelt or stood in silent reflection in front of the white wooden crosses, which were erected by Todd Ponton, of Aurora.

Ponton said he provided the small crosses at the request of Greg Zanis, an Illinois man who shortly after the school shootings carried wooden crosses to the top of nearby Rebel Hill in memory of the victims.

Rebel Hill, the highest point in Clement Park, overlooks the school.

Zanis could not attend the observance this year, Ponton said.

"I come every year to reflect about what happened here," Ponton said. "I have to do what I can for healing and for remembering. I don't want the story (of Columbine) to ever die."

The state legislature paused for a moment of silence to mark the anniversary at the request of Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton, whose district includes the Columbine High School area.

"It needs to be remembered," Kerr said. It changed our culture and it has changed the way we think about things."

Columbine students had the day off at the direction of Principal Frank DeAngelis, who said the free day offered the students a chance to remember the tragic event in their own way.

Teachers were at work, but joined the families of some of the victims in observing a moment of silence at the school. DeAngelis also read the names of each of the 13 killed.

The sixth anniversary of the school slayings was marked by mostly private observances. No public memorial services were held largely because the families of the victims wanted to deal with the anniversary in private.

"I think with last year being the five-year anniversary, and we did such a large public service for them and the community, that this year they really wanted to spend the time individually remembering their loved ones without a lot of the (media) coverage that they have received in the past," said Rose Corazza, spokeswoman for the Columbine Memorial Committee.

The committee for nearly six years has struggled to raise the money needed for a $2.5 million permanent memorial to the Columbine victims. An endowment for maintenance and upkeep of the memorial will require another $500,000.

Corazza said the memorial fund still stands at about $700,000 and the committee is facing a tough decision on possibly changing the design.

"We will have to make a decision come July, but we are hoping to continue to make contacts with people between now and then to get things off the ground," Corazza said.

Corazza also is director of administrative services for Foothills Park and Recreation District, which operates Clement Park.

The memorial is planned for a one-acre site in the park. Construction will not start until at least 80 percent of the money is collected.

Donations can be sent to: Columbine Memorial Fund, c/o Foothills Foundation, P.O. Box 621788, Littleton, CO 80162-1788.