Families plan positive events to mark the Overland Park Jewish center killings

The families of three people killed earlier this year outside Jewish facilities in Overland Park announced plans Wednesday for community events to “create understanding and counter hate.”

The events will be held next April to commemorate the first anniversary of the killings of William Corporon, Reat Griffin Underwood and Terri LaManno.

Wednesday was chosen to make the announcement because it was scheduled for the preliminary hearing in Johnson County District Court for the man accused in the killings.

However, the hearing was postponed for an evaluation to determine if F. Glenn Miller Jr. is competent to stand trial.

Mindy Corporon, the daughter of William Corporon and mother of Reat Underwood, announced the plans for a faith walk, a songwriting contest and a community gathering.

“We knew there would be a lot of negative news surrounding” the court hearing, she said. “We want the public to know that there is more good in our world. We want to redirect that negative energy in a positive direction.”

The events are a joint venture of the Reat Griffin Underwood Memorial Foundation/Faith Always Wins initiative, the LaManno family, and the Racial and Religious Acceptance and Cultural Equality Foundation.

Details of the events are still being worked out.

Additional information and updates about the events can be found online at faithalwayswins.org.

This story was originally published November 12, 2014 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Families plan positive events to mark the Overland Park Jewish center killings."