Community creates holiday shrine for Lewiston shooting victims
Embracing tightly and fingers intertwined, Annabelle Woodman and Maria Wilson stood outside Schemengees Bar and Grille Sunday afternoon.
It was the first time they were able to visit the community's latest memorial of several small Christmas trees.
Each has the name of someone who died in last month's shooting.
Arthur Strout was one of the victims who died at Schemengees.
Wilson was his Fiancé and Woodman was about to be his step daughter.
"He was definitely a family oriented man. And definitely went above and beyond for anyone he considered family even if they weren't family," said Wilson.
Last month they came here on Halloween leaving flowers and candy outside the restaurant.
They came back Sunday to better remember the sweet person they miss.
"Arthur would make sure if me and him argued he'd be like let's go for a car ride, I know you love car rides. So we would go for a car ride and get something to eat and we'd just talk it out." said Woodman.
"He would take my kids out to olive garden at least once a week. That was their thing like every Wednesday. Actually the Wednesday that he passed away he had gone to olive garden," said Wilson.
The two say they are touched by these latest memorials outside both Schemengees and just in time recreation.
"I like how the community is coming together now," said Woodman.
Wilson hopes that as the seasons change and time goes on- that her fiancé won't be forgotten.
"It's rocked our community. And not just Lewiston-Auburn. Like all of Maine. We don't hear about this it doesn't happen in Maine," said Wilson.
Woodman and Wilson hope that this tragedy helps create positive change.
"I think that if there were more ways for help that this wouldn't have happened," said Wilson.
