For the moms of victims killed in the Parkland high school shooting, this weekend will mark their first Mother's Day since losing their children.
That's why many of them are banding together to turn this difficult time into a positive opportunity.
This Saturday, May 12, the day before Mother's Day, they are organizing a nationwide "shop in."
"This holiday will be a very difficult one for us here in Parkland after suffering such a devastating loss. Please help us to turn this weekend into a positive one," reads one social media post being shared to spread the word about the event.
Specifically, the moms want people to shop at Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart because those two companies were among the first to take steps to restrict gun sales following the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Dick's stopped selling so-called assault-style rifles two weeks after the shooting, Both Dick's and Walmart raised the age to buy a gun and ammunition to the age of 21.
"Companies have a responsibility to make safe choices for their customers," said Kristin Gerke, the state membership lead for the Florida chapter of Mom's Demand Action, a national gun safety advocacy group. "We can vote with our dollar."
The moms say that after all of the love and support they've received that it's time for them to now show support and get people involved nationwide.
Gerke says she hopes the effort extends well beyond Florida.
"I want to support those people who have been personally touched because as a mother I can't imagine," Gerke told 10News. "We're just asking people to go to their local stores and to thank the employees for supporting the victims of Parkland and making good choices to keep our community safe."
In the social media posts promoting the event, people are also encouraged to post pictures to social media of themselves shopping.
Even if you can't shop in person, Gerke says people can still show support by shopping online.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
