'Gilroy Strong' Student Poster Contest Launched By SC Co. D.A.

GILROY, CA — A tragic event that touched the hearts of most residents and visitors to this southern Santa Clara County city has become written in stone as a catalyst for the close-knit community to come together in its time of need.

Now the District Attorney wants to immortalize the recovery with its annual "Justice for All" poster contest.

Neighbors young and old pulled together to help each other after the mass shooting that claimed the lives of four people including the local gunman. Survivors at Christmas Hill Park in the last hour of Gilroy's flagship event, the Garlic Festival, joined to help the suffering among law enforcement, civic leaders, civilians, teachers, students, medical personnel, musical artists and people who brought food and money donations to concerts, vigils and fundraising events. T-shirts, small painted rocks marked two new words in the community's vernacular - #Gilroy Strong.

The Gilroy Foundation has raised more than $1 million for the victims. And the planning for next year’s Garlic Festival is already underway.

This year’s poster contest is a calling for all eligible county high school students to create a poster that illustrates the power of that vital and viral hashtag. The poster must contain the hashtag. All art mediums are welcome: paint, pencil, charcoal or photography.

"The people of Gilroy refuse to be defined by tragedy. They rose up and stood together – an American community that showed us all how caring for each other is far more powerful than hatred," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.

Entries will be accepted until Nov. 8, with the winners to be announced two weeks later on the DA’s website, Facebook and Twitter page. All entrants will win a prize ranging from money to Starbucks gift cards. The first-place winner will receive $1,500, and their work will be prominently published on the District Attorney’s website and other venues. The second-place winner will receive $1,000, while the third-place winner will receive $500. The top three winners will receive their prizes at the awards ceremony to be announced later.

More information may be obtained on the Santa Clara County District Attorney website.

See also

• Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: 3 Victims, Suspect Identified
• Candlelight Vigil Pays Homage To Victims Of Gilroy Shooting
• Gilroy Garlic Festival Vendor Decompressing From Loss
• Duo Injured In Gilroy Festival Shooting 'Happy To Be Alive'
• 3 Heroic Gilroy Officers Who Took Down Suspect Identified
• Candlelight Vigil Brings Gilroy Together
• El Pollo Loco Donating All Aug. 12 Sales To Victims' Families
• Sharks Donate $10K To Gilroy Fund, Host 1st Responder 'Puck Drop'
• Lady Gaga Donates $11K To Gilroy Schools
• At $1 Mill Strong, Gilroy To Play Golf, Eat Pizza At Fundraisers
• Gilroy High Choir To Sing National Anthem At Top Sporting Events

• Gilroy High School Choir Performed National Anthem For SF Giants