Community honoring mailman who was shot and killed

COLLIER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The flag at first United Presbyterian Church of Rennerdale was lowered to half-staff to pay tribute to beloved mail carrier Lou Vignone, who was shot and killed last week.

“Lou was a mailman, he was a father, a husband, a son, and we wanted to honor him in that way. The flag lowering into half-staff seemed to honor who he is,” Pastor Jodi Flack told Channel 11.

Lowering the flag isn’t the only way the Rennerdale community is honoring him.

When you look on each street in the neighborhood, nearly every mailbox has a blue ribbon tied to it.

“When there’s a tragedy, people feel the need to do something, leave stuffed animals, flowers, flags and whatever at the time. They decided that they were going to go ‘Blue for Lou,’ and put blue ribbons on our mailboxes,” Flack said.

Gretchen Grimes lives in Rennerdale, and had a blue ribbon securely fastened to her mailbox.

“It’s sad, and it makes you think. Then you say a little prayer for Lou and his family,” Grimes said.

Over the weekend, there was a memorial service held at the church.

Grimes told Channel 11, “A lot of neighbors came. People who didn’t even live in Rennerdale came. There were prayers and remembrances, and it was very nice.”

People also left donations, and Flack is giving 100% of them to Lou’s family.

“It’s extremely important for us to show how much we loved Lou, and while money doesn’t mean anything, it’s the only way we knew how to say to Lou’s family that we loved him,” the pastor said.

Paul Stemplewski, a friend, said they hope the ribbon initiative will go nationwide, and encourages everyone to put a blue ribbon on their mailbox in support of Vignone’s life.

Lou’s former neighbor was charged in his death, and because Lou was a mail carrier, this is now being charged as a federal crime.

If you’d like to donate to Lou’s family, the information can be found on the church’s website, https://www.rennerdalepresbyterian.

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