On the one year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre, people gathered at Painting with a Twist in Tampa to honor the victims.
Clara Wiersma designed the painting. Wiersma is the manager of the Brandon location. She taught the class, Monday night, in Tampa.
“This was my way of giving back in the best way that I know how -- through art,” Wiersma said.
On June 12, 2016, a gunman killed 49 people and injured dozens of others at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
James Jones lost a friend that day.
“I still tear up after it happened. I was emotional for a while even today. I cried just thinking about it,” Jones said.
One year later, everyone who paid for the class, helped raise money for a good cause. Part of the money raised during tonight's event will be donated to the OnePulse Foundation. The owners of the nightclub started the foundation. ABC Action News learned it was started a few weeks ago and the money will be used to build a memorial, possibly a museum, and scholarships in honor of the 49 victims killed.
“It feels like I helped in a way that I wasn’t sure I would be able to help,” Jennifer Markwell said.
Today is a tough day for so many people. A day they said they will not forget. Markwell did not know anyone personally who was killed or injured, but she said she will proudly hang up the painting on her wall.
“Not only is it important to me to be here to support Orlando, but to (show) my support for them because I could have been there, you know,” Markwell said.
For more information about the OnePulse Foundation go to https://onepulsefoundation.org.
