Gallery: Candlelight Vigil for Sandy Hook

It was the definition of "community."

Organized by the west ward neighborhood in Lansdale, more than 100 citizens came together at Railroad Plaza in the borough Sunday night — candles aflame — for a vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, CT.

Led by resident Ray Liberto, the vigil lasted about a half hour. Trinity Lutheran Church Rev. Paul Lutz opened the night with a benediction.

The most touching part of the evening was the release of green and white balloons upon the reading of each victim's name by resident Drew Stockmal. Resident Lisa Patrick assisted with the balloons.

"It was powerful, emotional night," said Liberto. "I thought, with the Facebook response, we would see 500, but think it was 400. We had 300 songbooks and passed all of them out."

The vigil was capped by an acoustic singalong of Christmas carols by Chalfont resident Mike Meade.

"Michael did an amazing job, more then we could have asked for," Liberto said. 

At the vigil, children and adults donated paper snowflakes for the elementary students to decorate their halls at Sandy Hook. Snowflakes were collected by Morgan Fusca. 

Attendees also signed a Christmas card that will be sent to Newtown.

"It was a team effort getting it all pulled together," Liberto said. "Truly, it was a beautiful tribute to those lost in Connecticut."

You can sign a Sandy Hook sympathy card online at this link.