Gun safety advocates gathered in Springfield Saturday as part of the Wear Orange campaign.

"Across the country we lose 120 people per day to gun violence with hundreds more wounded, and the ripple effects of trauma are uncountable,” said Diane Peterson, the Wear Orange campaign organizer. “When we look at gun violence, statistics is one thing, but then the stories of the real lives of the people who were impacted is another.”

The gun safety advocates gathered at Island Park to bring awareness to gun violence.

They're part of the Wear Orange campaign, which encourages those calling for gun control to wear orange on this first weekend of June.

State Senator James Manning, Eugene City Councilman Matt Keating and Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger were all in attendance.

The event included a special tribute to the victims and survivors of the Thurston High School shooting in Springfield. It took place 25 years ago and continues to have a deep, lasting impact on the community.

We spoke with a father who had two sons that attended Thurston High in 1998. Their youngest son was present in the cafeteria when the shooting broke out.

He says the shooting impacted many lives and that it was an extremely difficult day for parents.

While many in the community came together to support each other following the shooting, he fears the call to end gun violence has been pushed aside over time.

"It seems to have gotten lost. Here we are over 25 years later now, and it's just gotten worse; the weapons have gotten worse," he said. "You're putting more and more power to kill into the hands of, unfortunately, young men that think this is a solution and I don't think it gets talked about enough, the ripple effects that gun violence has.

“Why was access to guns so easy? Why is this a solution to these people? And it just hurts; it's so heavy on our hearts."

This year, advocates from every state and Washington, DC participated in this event.

Wear Orange representatives say that this year their voices are louder than before.

The event was held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.