MOULTRIE — Colquitt County Serenity House holds its annual candlelight vigil, an event to honor people lost to domestic violence.

Social distancing will be practiced, organizers said.

Coming on the first day of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Oct. 1, the vigil will be held at the courthouse square amphitheater. 

Twenty-one Colquitt County lives lost to domestic violence since 1987 and their families will be honored, organizers said.

The vigil will work differently because of social distancing. Candles would be lit and distributed to attendees, but Director Haley Clark said it wouldn’t be safe to do that this year due to the pandemic.

Candles will be set on a centralized table and lit during the 7 p.m. ceremony.

“That way, we can still maintain social distancing,” she said.

Clark said Serenity House always invites the families out to the vigil and normally expects at least 50 people between them and some community members. 

As always, they’d love to see more in attendance, she said. The whole point is not only honor but awareness.

“I hope that it brings awareness to them that their loved ones will never be forgotten, that we will always remember them and what happened to them,” Clark said. “And that we’re going to continue to fight to eradicate domestic violence for as long as it takes.”