march for peace

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - The heat didn't stop a community from coming together in the name of peace.

Their goal is to save lives from gun violence. Dozens of demonstrators marched through the streets, and organizers said its the beginning of '40 Days of Peace'. 

The 40 Days of Peace initiative is a community effort to end neighborhood violence and, most importantly, put an end to gun violence. Local pastors said there is a biblical reference behind the event; it's symbolic for trial and cleansing.

Each step was for someone who was affected by gun violence - something Yvonne Johnson knows all too well. Her son, David, was shot and killed in 2018. Johnson expressed how she would have taken a bullet for him. 

"You took his prom, you took his graduation," Johnson said. 

The march, along with a balloon release, was a form of healing for Johnson. She hopes to more families who were affected by gun violence will attend events such as this and speak out. Â