<a href="/Users/Joan/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter-429641856/supfiles3C13685E/Arizona-Photograph-by-Frank[3].jpg"><span style="font-size:x-small;"> </span></a><a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/arizona-photograph-by-frank1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-832" title="Arizona sky  Photograph by Frank Quiroz" src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/arizona-photograph-by-frank1.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="216" /></a>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">It was a beautiful Saturday morning  in Arizona.  As I checked in with friends on Twitter, Facebook and the like, I  was chatting about the weather and the sun creeping over the mountains.  That  morning, I came across a wonderful quote from Catherine Leyen </span><a href="http://twitter.com/mrichat"><span style="font-size:x-small;">(@MRIchat)</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;">. </span>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">I shared it with friends on Facebook at 9:07 AM Arizona time. </span>

<span style="font-size:x-small;"> It read:</span>
<blockquote>
<h6><span style="font-size:small;">Never pass up the opportunity to tell somebody how much what  they do makes a positive difference in the world. ~ </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/catherine.leyen"><span style="font-size:small;">Catherine  Leyen</span></a></h6>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size:x-small;">A two hour trip down the road, at the Safeway on Ina and Oracle  in Tucson, events were unfolding that would horrify the nation, destroy  families, and and send a wake up call to us all.</span>
<div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:371e487b-b2a5-4d75-bc78-1c6be33d4e98">
<div>Shortly after  10 AM Saturday morning a gun man opened up on a crowd of Arizonans who had come  to see Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. (For the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40988567">video series</a>, see MSNBC.com)</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size:x-small;">As events unfolded, Arizonans and people from around the country  watched in horror, misinformation abounded as reports came out that someone had  shot into a crowd of people and that Congresswoman Giffords had died. They were  later corrected to say that she was fighting for her life – and winning.  Others  were not as lucky.  This </span><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/09/arizona.shooting.developments/"><span style="font-size:x-small;">link from CNN</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> provides the time line, and  information on those who were lost on a sunny and crisp Tucson morning,  including a Federal Judge, a nine year old  girl who came into this world on  9/11 and left it on another day of terror and tragedy, parents, grandparents, a  local pastor,and a young man planning to be married. Two local  physicians who  happened to be on the scene gave aide to the wounded while Daniel Hernandez, a  trained nurse and a Giffords intern,rushed to see what happened and used his  medical training to "apply pressure to the Congresswoman’s wound and keep her  active and alert," according to  Arizona state Rep. Steve Farley. Hernandez was  Farley's former campaign manager. (source: Jodi Powers- Community Public  Relations) </span>

<a href="/Users/Joan/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter-429641856/supfiles3C13685E/AZ%20Memorial%20photo%20credit%20Frank%20Quiroz[3].jpg"><span style="font-size:x-small;"> </span></a><a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/az-memorial-photo-credit-frank-quiroz1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-833" title="AZ Memorial photo credit Frank Quiroz" src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/az-memorial-photo-credit-frank-quiroz1.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="216" /></a>
<span style="font-size:x-small;">In Tucson, hundreds gathered leave  flowers, light candles, sing songs, and pray outside of University Medical  Center and outside Gabby’s Tucson office. </span>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">Up on Phoenix, many, including </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Annie-Loyd/734602497"><span style="font-size:x-small;">Annie  Loyd</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.jodipowers.com/"><span style="font-size:x-small;">Jodi Powers</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> and friends of the </span><a href="http://www.thefusionfoundation.org/"><span style="font-size:x-small;">The Fusion  Foundation</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> rallied friends, community leaders, and  others to the Arizona Capital in Phoenix for </span><a href="http://communitypublicrelations.com/index.php/news/1-latest-news/81-community-leaders-call-for-peace-and-prayers-in-wake-of-shootings-involving-congresswoman-giffords.html"><span style="font-size:x-small;">a candlelight vigil and shared news updates</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> locally as well as the insights that were coming in from friends in the the  South. </span>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">As the evening drew to a close, prayers were being sent from  around the country and around the state.  At the vigil at the Capitol, </span><a href="http://arizona.bagpiper.com/"><span style="font-size:x-small;">Eric Landau</span></a><span style="font-size:x-small;"> used his talents to send the strains of Amazing Grace soaring into the  night while later singer Olivia Calderon raised her voice in prayer and song  with the Ave Maria.</span>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">Saturday, January 8, 2011, began with a glorious Arizona  sunrise and ended with the world’s prayers.  But prayers, as important as they  are, are not enough. </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">On Saturday, we also  received a wake up call.  A reminder to all of us that… </span></strong>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;"> </span></strong>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">As parents…</span></strong>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">It is important to pay  attention to what our children are  saying and doing. In addition we must talk with them, no matter their age, build  up their positive values, and help them understand that senseless violence and  hate is never an answer. We change the world with our words and actions….not  bullets.</span>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">As leaders…</span></strong>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">We must remember that what we write, what we say, and what we do  impacts others.  It’s been speculated that the “virtol” of recent years both  locally and nationally combined with the violence that we see on the news, in  film and in games fueled these events.  Maybe it did and maybe it didn’t.  We  may never know for sure.  But perhaps, what is better to keep in mind is that it  can and that with leadership comes the responsibility to build up our community,  not tear it or others down.  When we exhibit negative behaviors and beliefs as  leaders, we, as leaders, should never be surprised if someone follows our lead  whether we intended them to or not.</span>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">As Arizonans…</span></strong>

<span style="font-size:x-small;">It is a reminder that in our state we have so much to be proud  of and to share. We have seen how in times of crisis we can rise up and come  together.   Yes, we have challenges, so does the rest of world.  But we also  have opportunities to combine our talents, listen to opposing viewpoints, build  solutions and coalitions and make things better.  Saturday serves as a reminder  that this is the best use of our time, energy, and talents.</span>

<strong><span style="font-size:x-small;">And most of all, as People, to remember what Catherine  Leyen shared… </span></strong>
<blockquote><span style="font-size:x-small;">Never pass up the opportunity to tell somebody how much what  they do makes a positive difference in the world. ~ </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/catherine.leyen"><span style="font-size:x-small;">Catherine  Leyen</span></a></blockquote>
<span style="font-size:x-small;">None of us can change what happened yesterday, but together we  can all help with the healing… and never pass up on an opportunity to make a  difference.</span>
<blockquote>
<h5><strong>Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned....</strong></h5>
<em>Joan Koerber-Walker</em>

<em> </em></blockquote>
<em>To the families of these who lost their life on Saturday (U.S. District  Judge John Roll, 63; Christina Greene, 9; Gabe Zimmerman, 30; Dorothy Morris,  76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Scheck, 79.) as well as all who were  injured in Saturday’s events my thoughts and  prayers as well as those of so  many others are with you.</em>
<blockquote><strong>About the Joan: </strong></blockquote>
<a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/6a01053650f43d970c013489b143d5970c.jpg"><img src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/6a01053650f43d970c013489b143d5970c.jpg?w=239" border="0" alt="Koerber-Walker-056" width="83" height="103" align="left" /></a> An entrepreneur, author, speaker and corporate advisor, <a href="http://jkw.typepad.com/www.linkedin.com/in/joankoerberwalker">Joan  Koerber-Walker's</a> journey has spanned from corporate America to  entrepreneurship and non-profits, as well as to community leadership and into  the halls of Washington D.C.   She and her family have made their home in  Arizona since 1992.

The news items and videos included here are the property of the respective  news agencies.  Images of the Arizona sky and Giffords Memorial are the work of  Frank Quiroz.
<div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:5a488569-3c82-467d-88ae-1ea319960b26">Technorati Tags: <a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Leaders">Leaders</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Leadership">Leadership</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Leadership+Responsibilities">Leadership  Responsibilities</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Gabrielle+Giffords">Gabrielle Giffords</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Tragedy+in+Arizona">Tragedy in  Arizona</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hope+for+Arizona">Hope  for Arizona</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Joan+Koerber-Walker">Joan Koerber-Walker</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fusion+Foundation">Fusion  Foundation</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Frank+Quiroz">Frank  Quiroz</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Annie+Loyd">Annie  Loyd</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Jodi+Powers">Jodi  Powers</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/Catherine+Leyen">Catherine Leyen</a>,<a rel="tag" href="http://technorati.com/tags/quotes">quotes</a></div>