A Bend dance studio is inviting its community to support Saylor Graham in a way that feels personal to the people who know her: by dancing. The Dance Connection Bend plans a benefit class for the 7-year-old on Sunday, October 18, at 5:30 p.m., according to KPTV’s report. Saylor was injured in Thursday’s shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School and remains the focus of a growing effort across Central Oregon to help her family.
For instructor and choreographer Shannon Guerrero, Saylor is more than a child she has read about in the news. Guerrero told KPTV that she met Saylor through Sparrow Clubs, a program that connects young people with children facing medical challenges, and remembers dancing with her at the studio. The idea for Sunday’s class came from Guerrero’s daughters, who wanted to do something for Saylor. Guerrero then reached out to the family, turning their suggestion into an evening centered on a connection they already shared. KPTV also spoke with Guerrero about her hope of dancing with Saylor again.
The class offers Bend neighbors a way to show up for Saylor as her family faces the days ahead. Bend Police said Friday that the injured 7-year-old was receiving care at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and was in serious but stable condition. That was the department’s reported condition at the time of its update; no newer medical update is implied by the benefit announcement.
KPTV reported the 5:30 p.m. start time and named The Dance Connection Bend as the venue. The studio lists its address as 740 NE Third St., Suite 1, Bend, and its phone number as 541-318-8338. An admission price, registration process and donation details were not included in the event report or on the studio page we could verify, so anyone hoping to attend should check with the studio before heading over.
