Town Comes Out For Candlelight Vigil

While law enforcement officials were meeting at the Orange Police Department planning their next move in the search for Isabella Oleschuk, 13, who disappeared three days ago, townspeople, who've been feeling helpless and wanting to contribute in some way, were gathering at the Orange Congregational Church a few blocks away, to pray for her safe return.

The big white church on the town green is where Isabella's parents were married and where she was baptized, the church community knows her well. But there were so many others there. The church was overflowing, standing room only, with parishioners, Catholics, Episcopalians, Greek Orthodox and those of the Jewish faith.

News people were asked to keep their cameras outside, and rightly so, after all, it was a solemn occasion, not a media event. Prayers were recited, five verses of Amazing Grace were sung a cappella, and a couple of people mustered up the strength to speak.

One man, who most could not see through the crowd, but heard loud and clear, said he was the father of four children and couldn't imagine the pain that her parents were feeling.

As he spoke, other parents held their own children tight and wiped away tears.

The entire service took less than an hour, but most of those attending left with a sense of hope.

"What can we do?" was the most common question heard outside.

While police are taking the names and phone numbers of anyone who wishes to join the search parties, Fire Chief Charlie Gagel finally said that if people want to do something, it would be okay for them to drop off bottled water at the back of the firehouse — Station 2 on the Post Road.

"The searchers come out of the woods after a couple of hours and they need to be rehydrated, bottled water is something that won't go bad and we use a lot of it," he said.

In the meantime, many residents are keeping their front porch lights at night to "light the way" until Isabella returns home.

The search continues today.