A charity walk in Muncie this weekend will allow victims of violent crimes to come together and reminisce.
Garth Walk 2010 will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Muncie Central High School. The event began in response to the death of Garth Rector, a Ball State employee of nearly 30 years who was killed in his home March 21, 2008.
"[Garth] was a great guy. He helped everyone he could," said Angie Mock, Rector's sister and the organizer of the annual Garth Walk.
In the past, the volunteers and walkers have gathered primarily from the Muncie community. This year, Miss Ball State Savannah Teegarden will be speaking after the walk.
Teegarden, a senior telecommunications major, ran with the platform "Survivors of Homicide: Overcoming Grief - Together." Her sister Heather was killed 11 years ago.
Delaware County Building Commissioner and youth minister Marwin Strong and Delaware County Sheriff Chaplain the Rev. Rory Bond will speak before the walk.
"I plan on talking about human nature and the human condition — the effect of violence in the community," Bond said, "hopefully give some comfort to those who have lost loved ones to violent crime."
The walking route will head north on Wheeling Avenue to Minnetrista and circle back to Muncie Central on North Walnut Street to the fieldhouse for refreshments and a balloon launch.
"We had 17 different families and over 215 people walk last year," Mock said in a press release.
Rector's family organized the music festival Garth Fest in August 2008, raising a $10,000 reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of his killer.
Mock said she wanted to hold another similiar event and came up with the idea for a walk after her mother had a stroke in May 2009.
"I wanted Mom to be able to participate and talk to other families who had the same experience," she said. "It feels so much better to talk to someone who understands. You can't explain when you've lost someone, especially to murder, the emotions and feelings you go through."
Mock said she doesn't want people to think Garth Walk is only for people who have lost loved ones to violent crime.
"Anyone can walk in the memory of someone they have lost," she said. "It's important to me because I want to know who murdered my brother. They sent him to a better place, [but] they hurt us."
Rector's killing is still unsolved. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the Delaware County Sheriff's Office at 765-747-7881 or investigator Kurt Walthour at kwalthour@co.delaware.in.us.
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