The stench of diesel fuel still hangs in the air at the site where the 10teenagers died. By sundown, more than a dozen mourners had come to thelonely stretch of road to embrace, to cry, to place flowers, and toremember.
A Plymouth restaurant was serving more than Italian food Thursday night.The staff made red ribbons and gave them to those who came to eat, eachone to symbolize a prayer.
"I just want the families to know, and those children, that everybody'spraying," said Jeanette Price, restaurant owner. "It does help to pray.It makes us feel better."
"I have children myself and it could have been one of them," said BrendaJackson, restaurant employee. "I knew all of the children and they wereall good children. They were real good children."
At Plymouth High School, flowers stand in the main hallway and in theprinciple's office. In the parking lot, 11-year-old Benjamin Simmonsmourned the loss of his cousin, Christy Toodle.
People pledging support have called the school all day. Lucretia Wearring, a teacher whose school lost a student two years ago, drove over from thenext county.
Counselors returned to Plymouth High School at 9:00 Friday morning inorder to help people deal with the loss. So far, four funerals have beenplanned. There is no concrete plan yet for a city-wide memorial servicebecause the planners of that event do not want to interfere with any plansthat families may have made.
If you would like to help, town leaders have set up a scholarship fund inmemory of the ten students. Contributions can be mailed to the PlymouthHigh School Band Memorial Fund:
Plymouth High School Band Memorial FundPlymouth High SchoolP.O. Box 827Plymouth, North Carolina 27962
A Plymouth High School band student will receive the scholarship and thestudent will be selected by an academic booster committee.
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