On Monday a prayer session was held at the Randolph-Henry High School (R-HHS) flagpole to honor the late Carter Thomas White for his 17th birthday.

The turnout for the event produced a large number of students, faculty, staff and community members who prayed in honor of White’s legacy and for his family.

The event was organized by R-HHS student Hunter Sanderson.

I commend Sanderson and his young colleagues for producing such a profound and much-needed event in our area.

The unity on display was remarkable as several students, community leaders and parents took the charge in praying.

One of the great things about living in a small community is the support we receive in the face of adversity.

Events like these are what makes our small community a great place to work, play and live. The prayer session for White was the second prayer event held at the R-HHS flagpole in the past two weeks.

The initial prayer session was held Aug. 15, hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

After a photo of the first prayer session quickly circulated on Facebook, residents expressed their pride for living in a county that promotes prayer and our wellbeing as a unified community.

According to the Chapter Sponsor Joshua Barmoy, the organization has no affiliation with the high school, school system or county. However, the organization is student led.

The purpose of the Aug. 15 session was to pray for our students, faculty, parents and community leaders in Charlotte County, as well as our nation.

I commend our young leaders for bringing together the community in prayer. Unity is an essential part of any community. If members of a community cannot band together in times of hardship to support each other, where is the togetherness?

Not only are our fellow community members our neighbors, but we all share a common interest by living together in the same area as a part of this larger society called life.

Italia Gregory is community editor of The Gazette. Her email address is Italia.Gregory@TheCharlotteGazette.com.