NEWTOWN, Conn. — Friday marked the 10th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
A rally was held in Newtown to mark the day and continue to call for stricter gun laws. The survivors of the Sandy Hook School shooting are calling for an end to gun violence. They are the same students that made it out of the horrific day, while their some of their classmates didn't.
Survivor Emma Ehrens spoke of her former classmates that lost their lives, "They are never not going to be with us. I like to believe they are always looking down on us, making sure we are good. (They're) not only looking down on us, but I'm looking back at them."
For 10 years, the Sandy Hook community has rallied together on National Gun Violence Awareness Day to call for action after their town was torn apart because of gun violence.
Po Murray, chair of the Newtown Alliance, says they need a majority in both the House and the Senate and a gun safety President to get that kind of legislation passed - but that hasn't stopped them from advocating.
"We have been pushing for a federal assault weapon ban and other legislation to pass," Murray said. "Unfortunately, we don't have a trifecta."
Junior Newtown Action Alliance member and Sandy Hook survivor Lilly Wasilnak said, "We have been working really hard to talk to our elected officials and tell them what they need to hear, which is our stories and what we want to see done in the community and across the country."
Normally, everyone would be wearing orange for the cause, but this year, they are wearing green in in honor of those 20 first graders that lost their lives in Sandy Hook and won't be graduating this year.
Grace Fisher said, "Everything we do is really for them, especially on today, which is Gun Violence Awareness Day. They are with us and every other day as well."
Matt Holden said he believes, "As long as we keep persevering like we have then those we lost didn't die in vain"
Ella Seaver added, "Most of us are going into studies or careers that are hopefully going to change the world and make it a safer better place for all of us".
They say they will not back down until elected officials do something to stop what they call an epidemic of gun violence in our country.
"I just hope that we can change the world and make sure that no one has to leave Earth the way they did," Ehrens said.
One of those beautiful, little souls that lost her life in the Sandy Hook tragedy is Catherine Hubbard. Her family works hard to keep her memory alive through an animal sanctuary.
On Saturday, the North American Butterfly Association says they will be renaming the Monarch butterfly the "Catherine Butterfly" for one day in honor of what would have been her 18th birthday.
RELATED: CREC Foundation announces new Ana Grace Love Wins Scholarship in memory of Sandy Hook victim
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Alexa Farrell is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at afarrell@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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