ALLENDALE, Mich. (WOOD) — Dozens of Grand Valley State University students, alumni, and Allendale residents gathered Saturday night to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated a little over a week ago.
The vigil, organized by the Turning Point USA chapter at GVSU, began under the campus clock tower but was moved indoors due to weather.
Through prayer, reflection, and hymns, attendees said they wanted to both remember Kirk’s life and carry forward the values they felt he championed.
“We are reinvigorated to continue this movement for Charlie,” said Noah Mullins, the chapter president for GVSU Turning Point USA. “No matter what comes at us we will continue to march forward. It’s what Charlie would have wanted and it’s what Charlie did in his everyday life.”
Mullins noted that while Kirk was widely known for his political influence, the main goal of the vigil was rooted in faith.
“We feel that, like Charlie did, proclaiming the gospel is the ultimate mission,” Mullins said. “It was to bring people to God today and turn to God, because we don’t know where else to turn in these times of crisis.”
For many attendees, the vigil was personal.
“Charlie was like a mentor to me. I grew up listening to him,” said Allendale resident Jacob Leestma.
“It feels more like home when you’re around people that share the same values — church, family, and the things that really matter,” said another attendee and GVSU student, Max Eckhardt.
Others, however, said they attended despite disagreeing with Kirk’s positions.
“Some of the things he has said about women minorities, LGBTQ+, and different groups of people …I can not understand why people would support what he says,” said Matthew McCarthy, a GVSU alumnus.
Mullins said despite his differing opinion to the group in attendance, he wanted to respectfully engage in conversations with people.
“We had mostly calm, collected conversations, where we exchanged ideas and If we didn’t agree, we agree to disagree,” said Mullins.
Turning Point USA’s GVSU chapter president said the group plans to continue honoring Kirk’s legacy, including through a debate-style event in the coming weeks.
