Quaint college town comes together in time of need

By Chris Cermak Apr 18, 2007, 14:21 GMT

Blacksburg, Virginia -Virginia Tech is demonstrating to the world just what it means to be a member of the 'Hokie family' as students and residents come together over the horrific massacre that has rocked this quaint little town, nestled below the Blue Ridge mountains of southwestern Virginia.

The shock and disbelief felt on campus and in the town of Blacksburg replicates the feeling at nearly all college or high schools before it that have suffered a tragic shooting massacre. This week's killing of 32 students and faculty was the worst ever shooting on US soil.

'This is Blacksburg. It just doesn't happen here,' said Jason Tomkins, a history student in his final year.

Blacksburg is both a college town and a magnet for retirees. The Virginia Polytechnic Institute - as it is formally known - has 26,000 students. But the town of nearly 40,000 was also rated one of the 10 'best places to retire young' by Money magazine in 2007.

One thing young and old can agree on is supporting the university's American football team, which is known, as are all students, by the invented nickname 'Hokies.' Virginia Tech's 60,000-seat stadium regularly sells-out with students, alumni and local fans.

'All we talk about is football,' says Ryan Poovey, 23, who works at a local liquor store. 'This was a football town. Now everyone's going to think of the tragedy.'

That fear was on the minds of countless students and residents after 23-year-old South Korean student, Cho Seung-Hui, shot 32 people in a rampage on the university's campus Monday.

'We don't want people to pass judgement on our school, because it's just an awesome school,' said Andy Ehrhard, 19, in his first year of a degree in German.

Ehrhard waited for more than two hours along with thousands of his fellow students to get into a sombre memorial ceremony held on Tuesday. About 40,000 people packed Cassel Coliseum and the college's football stadium, which had to be used as an overflow venue.

A mood of sadness and worry permeated the heavy atmosphere in the coliseum, where US President George W Bush urged the community to turn to its 'sources of strength.' That they did, as thousands of students, faculty and family welled up in a spontaneous cheer.

'We are the Hokies ... We will prevail,' the crowd chanted.

   But that was nothing compared to the sense of community and belonging felt by those who attended a candlelight vigil later that evening. Thousands of students descended on a green field in the centre of campus, only steps from Norris Hall where Cho killed 30 students in a rampage that lasted all of 15 minutes.

The crowd held a moment of silence that lasted nearly 10 minutes, holding candles far above their heads. As their arms got tired they switched hands, and just as the candles were slowly losing height, up they went again as if in a final defiant stand.

The silence was finally broken by a deafening chant of 'Let's Go Hokies.' Some groups began singing verses of the hymn Amazing Grace.

'Things like this don't happen very often. You don't see people come together like this,' said Tomkins, 24, who has spent the past 7 years in Blacksburg.

'Once in a lifetime,' he mused.

Town residents of Blacksburg are just as shocked and saddened as the students that something so horrific could come to such a secluded and peaceful place like Blacksburg.

Resident Susan Reece, 50, believes that sense of identification is not a dynamic all college towns have.

'Some university towns don't embrace the university. Blacksburg embraced the university,' she says.

Reece works at a local bakery, where she said many local residents came in throughout Monday and Tuesday seeking 'comfort.'

'It's a very nurturing community,' she says.

Blacksburg hopes that its reputation will not be harmed by Monday's killing spree.

'Hopefully it won't totally eclipse the good things of the town,' says Ryan Poovey, offering the example of locals opening up their homes to families that have come to grieve, or just to be with their sons and daughters.

Even a student from China, Li Lifeng, said, 'We are all the Hokie family.'