A Third Annual Interfaith Candlelight Vigil on Domestic Violence will be held on May 9th, from 7-7:30 p.m. on the Huntington Town Greens, and will be followed by an informal gathering in Stanton Hall, adjacent to the Town Greens. All those from the hilltowns and surrounding communities are invited.

The Vigil will honor all those who have been impacted by domestic violence, and will bring attention to the role of the faith community in ending domestic violence. Event planners point to research that says during a trauma, people are five times more likely to seek the aid of clergy than any other profession.

Vigil planners say they want to make it clear that the hilltown faith community supports and stands ready to help anyone who faces abuse or violence. Last year, advocates from Hilltown Safety at Home worked with more than 75 victims and survivors of domestic violence.

In March of this year, Luke Karpinski of Sheffield, killed himself, his wife Justine Wilbur, and their 3 children. In January of this year, Blake Scanlon of Westfield, fatally stabbed his girlfriend Alexis Avery. Also in January, Nelson Cardona of Northampton killed his wife, Karina Nieves, and himself, leaving their 3 young daughters without a living parent.

In the event of rain, the Vigil will be held in Stanton Hall, adjacent to the Huntington Town greens. The vigil is sponsored by members of the Hilltown Domestic Violence Interfaith Initiative, a group supported by the Southern Hilltown Domestic Violence Task Force.