KLAMATH FALLS, OR— Honoring Noel Sparks

KLAMATH FALLS, OR— Honoring Noel Sparks

Last night Noel Sparks was killed in the California mass shooting in Thousand Oaks. Noel holds a very special place in our hearts. We spent a lot of time with this little girl when she was growing up and now at the age of 21, she is gone from this earth.

My heart is breaking for her family who so loved her. When will it stop? When will gun owners and gun enthusiasts realize that their desires to own guns are killing our society especially our young people? Now is the time to put down the guns and hold your loved ones instead of your guns. Stop the insanity with the guns.

I will promise you that your life will not be forgotten. I will fight to end gun violence for the sake of Noel and all the other lives that were taken by the hand of a gun.

RIP Noel.

By Valerie Lenardson

Wednesday, November 7th Noel Sparks went to spend the evening with her friends dancing and listening to country music in Thousand Oaks. She and her friends did not know that it would be their last night on earth. That morning, Noel was at the hospital with her mother who was preparing for undergoing a 10 hour back surgery and they spoke about death. Noel expressed to her Mom that when she died, she too wanted to be cremated. Little did either of them know that death was just around the corner for Noel. No one knows when they will die, and young people think they are immortal. We all felt that way when we were young. But today it is different – young people know they could die at any moment at the hand of a gun. Not a car accident, not a plane accident, a gun shooting.

To date, there have been 47,472 recorded in the Gun Violence Archive. The Thousand Oaks shooting massacre was the 307th mass shooting in the US this year. Firearms are responsible for the deaths of roughly 18 children and young adults each day – EACH DAY! Homicide is the third leading cause of death for young people age 10 to 24. Our political leaders send their thoughts and prayers after each shooting. No talk about gun control, no talk about stopping the NRA from lobbying against gun safety and gun control, no talk about banning assault weapons etc. No, just thoughts and prayers and then they move on with their lives. Soon forgotten are the young people who have died at the hand of a gun. We have become immune to the power of guns and the death they create. The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting didn’t move the country to do the right thing and I don’t think the death of Noel and the other people recently killed in Thousand Oaks will have much of an impact either.

This fact is further represented by high profile tweeting brief condolences and taking no action. The solutions of arming schools, churches, and other public places are not the solution. This idea occurs after each mass shooting. We have heard the President of the US say that if the church had armed guards or the school, or the synagogue or the supermarkets or the sports arena then maybe people would have had a chance of survival. Easy for someone to say this who has armed guards all around him every second of his day. Reality check – people don’t live like this. Former Arizona Representative and gun-control advocate Gabby Gifford’s said recently, “Why do we keep allowing this terror to happen?”

We know how to solve this problem”. She’s right, now let’s do it. Cancel your NRA membership, don’t buy another gun, be willing to start building laws that will protect all of us from gun shootings, sit down and begin talking about how you can save a child from another gun shooting. It will happen again, that much I can guarantee. Let’s start by saving a child’s life and stop the epidemic of guns killing our children.

By Valerie Lenardson

I am asking my friends to help me raise funds for the burial service for Noel Sparks who was a victim of the Thousand Oaks mass shooting. Her family needs our help and I know my generous friends will help Wendy and her family bury their beloved daughter. I thank each of you for your recent support on my facebook and hope you can make a contribution to help with the burial of Noel Sparks.

Valerie Lenardson November 9 at 8:42 PM · GoFundMe

Honoring Noel Sparks

On behalf of the Conejo Valley Homeschoolers community, we are setting up this page to support Wendy after the tragic loss of her beautiful daughter Noel. Noel was an amazing soul who lost her life at the Borderline Bar & Grill. We grieve with Tony Sparks and Wendy Anderson. Please do all you can to support Wendy in this time of need and sorrow. Wendy has just undergone back surgery. So, we don't want her to worry about mounting medical bills. Please help support her and keep the family in your prayers.

All donations will go directly to Wendy.

Thank you for your generosity.

Remembering Noel Sparks

We hope people who love Noel will find comfort in visiting her profile to remember and celebrate her life. Learn more about the legacy contact setting and memorialized accounts on Facebook.