Today marks the one year anniversary of the abduction of Rachel Cooke. The Cooke family had a tree planted at Georgetown High School to honor Rachel. Family and friends gathered to hang yellow ribbons from Rachel's tree. Blue ribbons were hung in memory of other missing and murdered loved ones. RC and Grandma Cooke in front of Rachel's tree. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
RC with the Gonzales siblings The Gonzales family spent three weeks searching for their mother Valany. Valany's funeral was held just two days ago. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
RC and Greg Allen Sabrina Allen Fair has been missing since April 2002. Sabrina was abducted by her non-custodial mother. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
Ribbon Signing We estimate that there were approximately 100 people that attended the tree dedication this evening. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
Blue Ribbons Yellow ribbons wwith personal messages were hung on the tree by family and friends. Blue ribbons were hung to represent other missing and murdered loved ones. Kent Jacobs ribbon. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
A candle was lit for each month that Rachel has been missing. The candles were then placed around the base or Rachel's tree along with pictures of Rachel and a picture of Sabrina Allen Fair. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
Rachel's Ribbon Though each and every blue ribbon was difficult for the Cooke family to place on Rachel's tree, I am sure Rachel's ribbon had to be the most difficult. Prayers go out in hopes that each of those blue ribbons representing a missing loved one can be removed soon. ©Jacqueline L. Riggs 2003
JR thank you for the pictures. They are very moving. I am still in awe of the Cooke's and how they have turned their pain into helping others. They are an example of all that is good in people. I only hope I can be half as good a parent as the Cooke's are. Tricia
Tree dedication With Robert opening the ceremony for the tree dedication to Rachel, the wind gave a calmness, so as to allow his words to ring all over the world. The first Blue ribbon, for other missing and killed persons was hung on the tree by Sabrina Allen's Father, Greg Allen. As Robert read the names of eleven other person the blue ribbons were hung on the tree. The media did an excellant job on the coverage. If I knew how to attach pictures or place the media videos to the forum I would. Maybe someone will PM me and give me the way to do it like our great New webmistress TRICIA or maybe JR.
News Coverage KXAN with video http://kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=1079662&nav=0s3cDJ6E {snip} Friday night, there will be a special ceremony at Georgetown High School dedicated to Rachel and others who have disappeared. The ceremony is to commemorate the loss of Rachel. Rachel was a vibrant and active young woman. She was home from college last year when something went wrong. She went out for a run and didn't return. What happened that day, one year ago Friday, still baffles her family and law enforcement. {snip}
KVUE Coverage - includes video http://www.kvue.com/news/local/011003kvueRachel-eh.c984e43.html {snip} Year-old mystery: Rachel Cooke remembered 01/10/2003 By Kris Gutierrez KVUE News Today marks the one-year anniversary of a missing Georgetown teenager. Rachel Cooke, 19, disappeared while jogging near her home one year ago today. Volunteers spent weeks combing the area for clues, but there is still no sign of Rachel. She was home for the holidays from college when she disappeared near her family's home in the Northlake subdivision of Georgetown. Leads are still trickling in, but there's been no arrest and no word from Rachel. Her father says he still holds out hope, but knows the trail grows colder with each day Rachel is missing. "It's hard because people's memories are fading, and the clues are slowing down. We still get psychics here and there who put in information. They all turn out to be nothing. It's just something that we're hoping that we'll get resolved," says Robert Cooke. This afternoon Robert Cooke and others planted a tree in Rachel's honor at Georgetown High School, where Rachel attended classes and ran crosscountry and track. The tree is decorated with yellow ribbons in honor of Rachel, and blue ribbons in honor of others who are missing. {snip}