Some 17 people gathered at John Brewer’s Bay Saturday evening to participate in a second peace march in as many months, all of them determined to win over the support of the entire Virgin Islands community – one person at a time.

“If we can add one or two new people, that would be great,” said Judith Grybowski of her community action group, Mothers at Heart.

The event is meant to unite not just mothers, but anyone who nurtures and cares for lives in the Virgin Islands. The first march was held at Coki Beach July 27.

Both times, Grybowski has asked participants to dress all in white, both times she has asked them to use a special instrument – a lapaz para oracion (or instrument of prayer) – to write down their hopes, wishes and fears for the community.

Grybowski said the Coki walk required six police units for protection. This time, just two officers accompanied walkers as they walked from the Reichhold Center’s parking lot to the beach. They sang the words “all we are saying is give peace a chance” from the John Lennon song as they walked.

Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone said that he heard about the walk on the radio and had to be a part of it. “This is a matriarchal society,” he said, noting that because his parents worked, he was raised mostly by his grandmother and two aunts. “Women are the ones running the households.”

Malone said lawmakers are well aware of the growing violence in the territories and are looking into new gun legislation, and ways to protect the borders so that guns are not brought in.

Meanwhile, participants in the walk are doing what they can do to take a stand against violence, too.

“Everybody has to do a little part,” said attendee Jane DeCola. “And each part has value.”