RIVER FALLS, Wis. - Many people spent part of their day dropping off flowers at the at Greenwood Elementary School in memory of Amara, Sophie and Cecilia Schaffausen, three young sisters, who police say died at the hands of their father.

Amara, 11, and Sophie, 8, were students at Greenwood Elementary. Principal Nate Schurman said the two children were the type who lit up the world.

"They were bright girls, smile on their faces, positive influence on their peers and their teachers and we miss them," he said.

Cecili, 5, was going to be a kindergartner this fall. Schurman said the school was looking forward to having her.

Instead of bright smiles at school there are ribbons, cards and candles at a memorial outside of the school.

Meanwhile in Hudson, old friends like Julie Matzke spent her entire day planning a vigil and setting up a Facebook memorial page. She wanted to make sure the girls are remembered for the way they lived not the way they died.

Matzke, a mother of three kids, said she wants to honor their lives, especially Sophie's because she was in Girl Scouts with her own daughter.

In the midst of organizing the vigil, she's trying to figure out how to break the news to her seven-year-old.

"It's not something that you want tell your daughter," she said.

The outpour of support stretches to downtown Hudson where Paul Rode collected more than $30,000 for a memorial fund.

A father himself, he said he couldn't just sit and watch.

"(I wanted) to show the community of River Falls that we love them and we're parents too," Rode said.

In a news release from the city of River Falls, the family wrote they are grateful for all the support and ask for privacy.

Anyone who wants to help is asked to make donations to "Benefit Account for Schaffhausen Children" at the First National Bank of River Falls in River Falls or Prescott.

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