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Residents gather to remember Sendler
Founding members of the now internationally known play, "Life in a Jar" gathered on Tuesday night to remember the person who inspired the project.
Irena Sendler, who died Monday, at the age of 98, is responsible for saving the lives of 2,500 Jewish children from the Nazi party during World War II.
In 1999, a group of Uniontown High School students led by former instructor Norman Conard began a National History Day project in the form of a play, recognizing Sendler for her role in the war. The student-driven production, "Life in a Jar," quickly grew in popularity and is now performed across the nation in both large and small venues.
The students responsible for the play -- many of whom traveled to Poland May 3 to visit Sendler, just nine days prior to her death -- along with local residents held the candle light vigil at Lyons' mansion speaking to those in attendance about the impact Sendler had on their lives.
Megan Felt, Lowell Milken Center's Program Director and founding member of Life in a Jar, explained how moving Sendler's actions and humble nature are to her.
"To look into her eyes, the eyes that looked into so many parents' eyes, and wonder how she had the courage to continue doing that day after day. Finding the parents and the parents would say 'no, no we're not ready for you to take our children,' and she would go back the next day to find out it was too late, the children had already been deported. The ups and downs and the struggles that she went through," said Felt. "It's so powerful to know that she still gives the credit to everyone else. We would tell her you're our hero, you are absolutely our inspiration and she would say, 'no I'm not a hero. Heroes do amazing things. I did what anybody else would have done."'
Alongside the long-time performers of the play was one of the newer cast members, Jaime Walker. Walker began crying almost immediately as she attempted to read passages from a journal she kept during her recent visit to Poland.
"One person truly can change the world ...," a passage of the journal reads. "Her smile causes mine to grow even bigger. ... A rare moment in my life, I have no words. Her presence alone and grace astound me. My tears are not salty, but sweet. I cry tears of happiness, for in this life's moment, I have lived a momentous life."
Also part of the recent trip to Poland was Felt who said Sendler's nature continued to be motivational.
"She still had an amazing way about her, great personality, always happy and smiling ... a light in the darkness," she said.
The vigil was concluded with the lighting of candles and Conard speaking Sendler's inspirational quote, "Keep the light burning."
Sendler's funeral is scheduled for 12 p.m., Thursday, May 15 in Warsaw, Poland.