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The ‘Knock the Violence’ event attracted dozens of people
Photo
Georgia West, second from left, founder of Survivors of Our Grief, holds her 5-year-old grandson, Isaiah O’Neal, at the “Knock Out the Violence” event in Boardman. One of her sons, Ivan West, murdered last year in Youngstown, is in the picture. Also with her was another son, Sheldon Grayson, and Addie Smith, a Survivors member.
BOARDMAN
About a year ago, Patrick Hagerty was organizing a vigil to honor his best friend, murdered on the front porch of his home on Youngstown’s South Side.
Rather than do that this year, Hagerty, a Youngstown native now living in Girard, decided to have an event Sunday that honored all murder victims.
“This is for everyone who lost a loved one,” he said. “I’m doing this for the community. We’re bringing people together to hopefully stop the violence.”
The “Knock Out the Violence” event brought dozens of people to a pavilion at Park Center Health Care and Rehabilitation, 5665 South Ave. in Boardman. The event originally was planned for a baseball field in Youngstown, but was pulled by the field’s owner because of the anticipated crowd size, Hagerty said.
Proceeds from the event went to Crimestoppers and Survivors of Our Grief, a local support group for those who’ve lost loved ones, primarily to random acts of violence.
Sunday’s event included free food, a raffle, an auction, a candlelight vigil, and a balloon release at dusk with the names of murder victims on each balloon.
Hagerty’s best friend, Robert J. Vanderpool, was gunned down May 12, 2013, while on his porch in Youngstown’s Brownlee Woods area.
Providing assistance to Hagerty and finding a new venue for the event was Sharon Flauto, community service liaison for All Caring Hospice in Canfield.
“We want to give back to the community,” Flauto said. “This is a good event for the community. We want to help those who’ve been victimized by violence.”
Among those at the event was Georgia West of Liberty. Her 28-year-old son, Ivan, was murdered Sept. 29, 2013, on the city’s South Side after being stabbed.
“I am a mother with a broken heart,” she said. “You smile through the tears. I still hear his voice. I’ll see someone walking and think it’s him. But God gives us the strength to go on.”
West founded Survivors of Our Grief to help people who’ve lost a loved one no matter how they died.
“In the midst of a tragedy, you can help other people who face the loss of a loved one,” she said. “Grief is grief no matter the cause. This event helps us get the word out and get people to understand they’re not alone.”
Survivors of Our Grief members meet the first Monday of the month at Heart Reach Ministries, 211 Redondo Road in Youngstown, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Also at the event to help were members of the Little Steel Derby Girls, a local female roller-derby league.
“I think it’s a wonderful event,” said Danielle Trafficante of Boardman, a member of the Derby Girls. “Anything that will bring peace or closure to those who’ve lost loved ones is important. A lot of people talk but few do. It’s great [Hagerty] got this together.”