Dozens of Jim Thorpe residents braved the November evening chill at Josiah White Park Tuesday to gather together in the name of peace.

Michelle Gallagher organized the peace vigil in memory of those lost in Paris."It's great Michelle decided to organize this event to bring neighbors together in the name of peace," Jim Thorpe Sellers Books owner Randall Sellers said. Sellers shared a quote attributed to philosopher Plato: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."The hourlong event began with St. Mark's Episcopal Church bells and continued with music well into the evening.Thomas Dressler played the French anthem, "La Marseillaise," on keyboards.Author David Price played Tibetan Bowls.Other local musicians played music.Sue Ann Lewine spoke of peace and how it comes from a sense of safety."Safety comes from within," she said.Arlene Duggan, a Universal church minister said, "There are more peace lovers than not."Jim Thorpe attorney Neil Makhija said, "We've seen people in the past come together. We can support policies that bring people together instead of divide us."The idea for the vigil came to Gallagher after the Paris attacks. "As confusion and finger pointing via social and mass media unfolded I realized that yelling into the pillow of the Internet only creates more yelling," she said.Josh Finsel of Free Range Folk said he didn't think twice about performing at the vigil."Focusing on world peace is one of the most important things we can do," Finsel said."The recent attacks in Paris really hit home," said Sellers. "I was in Paris last year for my third visit and most of the books I've read this year are histories of Paris. It's an amazing city. What happened there was deeply shocking to me and to everyone. The world is in trouble right now."The community event took less than two weeks to put together."The Carbon County commissioners gave me swift permission without passing this event for a vote at their weekly meeting. They wished me luck and waived filling out proper mandatory paperwork and told me they 'admired my spirit,' " Gallagher said.As the concept picked up steam locally, social media helped spread the word. Virtual events including people from Las Vegas, New Orleans, Los Angeles, New York and Bethlehem were held at the same time, according to Gallagher."I came here tonight because of wanting to help make a change in some way," Jim Thorpe resident Deb Behan said. "Even if it's just by standing here.""We invite peace into our hearts every day. Let peace be the miracle that changes your mind. You are the change this world so desperately needs," Gallagher told the crowd as candles were extinguished.