by Durriyyah Anderson, Friends of Yates Inc.
The Wyandotte County community, families of fallen victims, and community officials will come together on Monday, April 25, to remember those who have lost their lives to homicide in 2015.
The Crime Awareness Coordinating Effort (C.A.C.E.), a program service of Friends of Yates, Inc. will hold its Seventeenth Annual Memorial and Candlelighting Service in recognition of Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
This Memorial and Candlelighting Service will be co-sponsored by the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program along with the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department’s Victim Services Unit. The event will be held at Forest Grove Baptist Church, 1417 N. 9th St., Kansas City, Kan., where the Rev. Desmond Lamb is the host pastor. The event will begin with a light dinner from 5-6 p.m., followed by the program at 6:30-8 p.m.
The Crime Awareness Coordinating Effort (C.A.C.E.) was developed in response to the death of a 10-year-old girl in Kansas City, Kan. This tragic event created great concern throughout the Kansas City, Kan., community.
A forum was called by Friends of Yates Inc. and members of the Baptist Minister’s Union on Oct. 27, 1998, to bring together local businesses, law enforcement personnel, community leaders and concerned citizens to begin the dialogue about how crime was plaguing the Kansas City, Kansas community.
More important, Friends of Yates Inc. wanted to challenge these community leaders to design a strong plan to address the violence in the area. Through the efforts of Friends of Yates Inc.; a collaborative partnership was formed and became known as the Crime Awareness Coordinating Effort (C.A.C.E.).
This year’s memorial service will remember the 30 victims of homicide, serve as a support system for victims’ families, and educate the Wyandotte County community on the progress made to diminish the threat of violence throughout the community.
This year’s guest panelists will include District Attorney Jerome Gorman, KCK Police Chief Terry Zeigler, Larry Roland from the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department, and Arica Roland, program director for Friends of Yates, Inc.
In addition, KCKPD homicide detectives will be onsite to speak with families, and community members regarding open homicide cases. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information about this and other programs and services sponsored by Friends of Yates, Inc., or for ways to support, volunteer or donate to the agency; contact Durriyyah Anderson at 913-321-1566 at Ext. 226, [email protected] or visit the website at www.friendsofyates.org.