Written by Family Week Coordinator Diane Mack

I have often been asked how Family Week began. I usually answer with "years ago". I honestly believe a family week used to exist on a regular basis.

Then, something got in the way.

In the fall of 1998, I was asked to chair a PTA PAFLE (Parent and Family Life Education) committee. We were assigned to plan one night of family education or activity for our school families.

All six members of our PAFLE committee had very busy schedules. Within a three month period, we could not find an available day to meet. Our kids’ schedules were too full, leaving little time to hold a PAFLE planning meeting.

It was at that point that I realized, if we could not find the time to meet as a committee, how much time were we spending together as families.

Cordill-Mason Elementary School PTA PAFLE Family Week evolved.

In January of 1999 we held the first Family Week at our school. It was an overwhelming success. We learned "more" family time was good for everyone . . . the students, the parents, the teachers and education.

Most importantly, the success of Family Week could be seen in the eyes of the children.

When the week ended, I had an empty feeling. Family projects had always been a passion. Plus, we had made a major impact on the lives of the students.

I couldn’t let the project end. Family Week needed to grow into a community event. It was good for everyone.

Falling back into the parent mode, it wasn’t hard to get immersed in my kids’ activities and forget Family Week for a while . . . until May of 1999.

It was in the headline of every newspaper, Columbine.

My heart still goes out to the families.

My children came home from school that day with heavy hearts. They had heard about the shooting, all day long in school. It was on every television. My two youngest were 10 and 12.

They were uneasy about a shooting at school. They also felt very insecure about a place which had always been safe to them.

I tried to calm their fears and distract them with other activities. They eventually quieted down and headed to bed.

Jeremy, the youngest of our seven children, called me to come to his bedroom. I sat on the side of his bed, as he talked about the day.

Finally, he released his true feelings. "Mom, I know what the answer is"

I looked him in the eyes and asked what the answer was.

"Mom, they said it on television . . . the kids, the police, the teachers, the parents, the mayor, and the governor. They all said the same thing."

I knew we were headed to something significant, so I asked again what it was.

"Mom, they said pray for us . . . each person that talked on television said the same thing. Pray for us"

He then added something I will never forget.

"Mom, prayer has to come before the violence."

Jeremy, you are right. Prayer needs to be in our homes, our families, our schools, our country, and our lives. Prayer must come before the violence.