Help Honor Victims & Survivors Of Aurora Movie Theater Shootings

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - There's a chance for Coloradans to help honor the victims and survivors of the Aurora movie theater shootings. This Saturday marks one year since 12 people were killed and dozens more hurt.

Citizens want to make sure the day is about the community, and they plan to do that by reaching out to others. It's a significant part of Saturday's "Day of Remembrance." It's a positive way to come together as a community and city officials believe it will contribute to healing.

Anyone can volunteer, including those who lost someone last year.

"He just gave you this big hug and it was like every problem like went away," Megan Sullivan said.

Megan's big brother Alex is etched in her memory. He is inked near her soul in a tattoo of the Gaelic word for "my brother."

"You know I miss him every single day," Megan said.

Alex was 27 when he was gunned down in Aurora's Century 16 Theater last July 20.

"The 20th is also my brother's birthday."

Megan will mark the day at a city ceremony remembering all the theater victims. After that she'll lend a hand by joining a community service project at the city's xeriscape garden.

Diana Denwood with Aurora Water will supervise the planting of a spot for butterflies.

"People will take whatever they want away from this but hopefully they'll feel good about doing some community volunteering," Denwood said.

Besides gardening people can sign up to spruce up other spots across Aurora or help at nonprofits, including Project Cure or the Food Bank of the Rockies.

"I hope the community just finds strength," Megan said. "And what happened a year ago, that isn't what defines us. It's the actions we do and the steps that we take forward."

Register for the community service projects online at auroragov.org/720volunteer. Or, on Saturday drop in at the Central Library and help a number of nonprofits.