12/07/2017
Today our family attended the Annual Remembrance Reception put on by the Kansas Attorney General's Office and The Kansas Organization for Victim Assistance. It is a reception for families of crime victims - victims who had lost their lives at the hands of another. This is the second year our family has had the honor to attended this reception.
The holidays are an especially difficult time of the year for people who have lost loved ones. This reception is one way that our state, our law enforcement agencies and victim services organizations are trying to provide a way for victim's families to remember their loved ones in a special way, and to provide the families an opportunity to grieve with other people who understand exactly what they are going through. Everyone who attended the reception unfortunately share the same emotions and grief that comes with losing a loved one due to the actions of another person. Counselors, victim advocates, and even a therapy dog were on hand at the reception for anyone who needed their assistance.
After hearing remarks from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, Sedgwick County Undersheriff Richard Powell, Wichita Deputy Chief of Police Jose Salcido, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections Joe Norwood and Director of Victim Services for the Office of the Attorney General Dorothy Stucky Halley, there was a slide show that included pictures of victims who have passed away. AAron was included in the slide show. It was very special, but very sad to watch. Some families had included messages about how much they missed their loved ones, and some had information about how they passed. There were mothers, fathers, teens, infants, elderly and even entire families being remembered in the slide show. There wasn't a dry eye in the room by the end of it.
There were two Christmas trees on display at the reception that were filled with ornaments left by families in remembrance of their loved one. Last year we left a stained glass angel ornament that our mom had made. We found the ornament again this year, and added to it a crocheted star, a note, and one of the cards we had made up a few months ago with information about AAron's unsolved case. It was really neat finding the ornament from last year and being able to add to it.
These two trees will be taken to two more of these remembrance receptions that are being held in Topeka and Kansas City this week. After that, they will be on display for the rest of the holiday season at the Kansas Attorney General's Office in Topeka. Last year a few of us were able to make it up there to Topeka to see the trees and to find AAron's ornament. As long as the weather cooperates, we plan on making the road trip up there again this year!
Today's reception was held at Newman University, which happens to be where our dad works as the chef for the company that provides Newman's food services. His boss was very generous and arranged for the donation of food and drinks at the reception, as well as arranging a coffee donation from Starbucks. He made the donation in our family's name. How awesome is that?!
After leaving the reception, we went out to AAron's spot to decorate it for Christmas, then brought some Christmas cookies and cheesecake to both the Sheriff's Office at the courthouse and to the Sheriff's Department's substation on S. Seneca. Not only do we want to let them know how much we appreciate their hard work, but we want to be sure that they remember AAron and know that our family is going to continue working to bring attention to AAron's unsolved case!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday's from our family to yours!
