http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-10-03/update-unity-community-mourns-loss.html  

For most, Friday, October 5, was just another school day.  But at Unity High School, it was day to grieve.

On Thursday evening, the night before, Savannah Day, a cross country runner who graduated from Unity High School the year before, was struck by an oncoming train and killed.  (Click on link above to read more about Savannah.)

The Cumberland Invitational Cross Country Meet at Lake Land College in Mattoon on Saturday morning was supposed to be for girls and boys, but only the Unity High School boys’ team was there because the girls’ team was still in shock.  Savannah’s death did not go unnoted, though. Most of the girls’ teams participating in the invitational that day were wearing tall white socks to show their support for the Unity High School team. The boys’ team from Unity wore ribbons.

Before the race started, runners were able to participate in a optional prayer circle.  The circle was so big that the boys’ teams had to make a circle around the girls’ teams.  

Coach Will said, “The number of runners that participated by wearing tall white socks was astonishing because they were involved in more than just a race.”