BEND, Ore. — After the October 15 shooting at Silver Rail Elementary, photographer Kylla Miller was trying to find a way to help the community heal. 

“It feels helpless when something like this happens of, ‘How do I love on the community?'” Miller said. “But being a photographer, I was like, ‘That’s a really practical way I could love on these families, so I thought myself like, I’m just going to offer some family photo sessions.'”

Miller put a post on social media, thinking it would only reach a few families. However, she said the response from both families and photographers has been uplifting. 

“Photographers were saying, ‘I’m happy to help,’ so it became way more and something beautiful that wasn’t even my vision. It was just out our community stepped up and now it’s something a lot more special,” Miller said. 

More than 13 photographers are now donating their time for Silver Rail families. One of those photographers is long time resident Lauren Allison. 

“I hope that we can bring them a little bit of joy. I hope that we can just give them some memories to hold on to, some pictures with their loved ones,” Allison said. 

On the day of the shooting, school pictures were scheduled for all students. 

“I hope the kids who didn’t get to have their portrait taken for a school picture day can have a moment to smile in front of a camera and get that picture taken for them,” Allison said. 

For Miller, she hopes the photo session is a safe place for feelings. She wants families to feel loved, seen and celebrated. 

“I feel honored to be part of it,” Miller said. “I feel like as a mom, I get emotional about this, but I know it’s like such a tiny thing in the big scheme of what everyone’s going through and feeling right now. But I think at the end of the day, like our community, the way Bend wants to love on each other and specifically Silver Rail right now, I feel honored to be part of that.”

Several businesses will also be providing toys and other items for Silver Rail families. The event will take place Saturday, November 7 at 2 p.m. at Aplenglow Park.