2008.09.24
Host families sought for Russian visit to Blacksburg
Organizers of an exchange program that would pair psychologists and educators affected by the 2004 Beslan school massacre with those affected by the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech shootings are seeking host families.
Ideally, said organizer Sandra Jackson, the host families would provide a private bedroom and some meals for the Beslan visitors' stay, which is scheduled for Nov. 9-17. Those interested in hosting may contact Jackson at isi4vt@verizon.net.
The visit is sponsored by the National Peace Foundation and would be a "true exchange" of ideas on how communities can best deal with mass tragedy, Jackson said.
The Beslan visitors are scheduled to meet with Tech and Blacksburg officials to discuss how their community in the North Caucuses region of the Russian Federation recovered from a politically motivated attack on a school there that left 334 people, including 186 children, dead.
In 2007, a mentally ill Tech student went on a shooting spree, killing 32 people and wounding more than 20 others before killing himself. It is considered the worst school shooting in U.S. history.
-- Tonia Moxley
Tonia, tell my dad to rent out my room.
Comment by Maggie — September 24, 2008 @ 6:37 pm