Sheehan, a Vacaville resident, has attracted international attention by demanding a meeting with President George W. Bush while camping outside near his Texas ranch. Sheehan's son, Casey, died fighting in Iraq in 2004. Sheehan has said she seeks answers for why her son died and has asked Bush to pull troops out of Iraq.

At her behest, liberal groups MoveOn.org, TrueMajority and Democracy for America collaborated to mobilize communities across America and sought out local representatives to host each vigil.

When Willow Glen resident Miles Murray punched in the zip code 92125 on MoveOn.org's website to find the nearest vigil, he was disappointed to find the closest ones in the Rose Garden and Campbell.

"I know that there was a lot of interest and a lot of sentiment against the war, so I punched in my name to host," Murray said.

As the event's host, Murray selected the corner of Lincoln and Minnesota avenues for the vigil's location because of its high visibility and proximity to downtown Willow Glen. Within half an hour, 10 people confirmed they would attend, he said. By the next day, 170 people said they would come. At the vigil that evening, attendees counted 230 people from Willow Glen, Almaden, Rose Garden and downtown San Jose.

Similar vigils were held in 1,627 communities. These vigils attracted 50,000 people, according to MoveOn.org's website.

In Willow Glen, candles peppered the sidewalk in front of Willow Glen Elementary School and people carried signs emblazoned with a Sheehan quote, "Before one more mother's child is lost."

Residents chatted, laughed, shaded their candles from the wind with their hands and sang civil rights-era songs such as "This Little Light of Mine" and "We Shall Overcome." People in cars passing by honked their support, while others voiced their dissent.

Julie DeMaria, who runs the American Red Cross' Operation: Care and Comfort, said she believed more attention should be focused on the overseas troops. She did not attend the vigil or voice her disapproval, but DeMaria said, "Regardless of your stance on the war, we need to support our troops while they're over there or here at home."

At the vigil, anti-war supporters, young and old, said they heard of the vigil through MoveOn.org, progressive radio stations and friends. While some hope Sheehan will finally meet with the president, many are doubtful.

Janice Allen, a second-grade teacher at Willow Glen Elementary School, said she came to the vigil because Sheehan's story resonated with her.

Allen said many of the boys she went to high school with died in the Vietnam War and she sang at their funerals.

"I was determined that my sons wouldn't go through that and this woman has lost her son," Allen said. "I don't want to see any other mother go through this."

Longtime Willow Glen resident Rina Wright and her niece Marisa Tregrossi proudly held a photo of Alfred Wright, Wright's 24-year-old grandson currently stationed in North Carolina with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Wright remembers walking from her Coe Avenue home to the elementary school grounds to pick up the young Alfred each day from school. Now the women say they fear Alfred's time with the military will be extended. They are worried that he will be sent to Iraq.

Others with no direct connection to any war also came to support Sheehan. Kevin Kelley said Sheehan's effort inspires courage.

"Cindy Sheehan's story is a wonderful David and Goliath story--one small person going against someone really big," Kelley said.