Music For The Missing

Discussion in 'The Search for Rachel Cooke' started by JR, Apr 6, 2003.

  1. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    On Saturday April 5, 2003 there was a banquet for the people involved in pulling togeather the Music For The Missing fundraiser.

    Pictured below are some very special people. From left to right are Craig and Pam Akers, Tim Miller, Janet and Robert Cooke, and Greg Allen.

    Shawn Hornbeck, 11, vanished without a trace on October 6, 2002. Shawn's parents have started the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation to help other families with missing children.

    www.shawnhornbeckfoundation.com

    Laura Miller, a young woman abducted and murdered in North Galveston County in 1984.

    Tim Miller is the Director of Texas EquuSearch. The Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team was started in August, 2000 with the purpose to provide Volunteer Horse Mounted Search and Recovery for Lost and Missing persons.

    http://www.texasequusearch.org/index.htm


    Rachel Cooke, an accomplished cross-country runner, left her home in Georgetown, Texas on the morning of Thursday, January 10, 2002, to go on her usual 3-4 mile morning jog around the neighborhood. Sometime around 11 AM, near the end of her run and possibly within 200 yards of home, she disappeared without a trace.

    Robert and Janet Cooke have started the Rachel Alert Network (RAN) to help prevent abductions through awareness education and to provide information to friends and families of abducted persons.

    http://rachelalert.org/


    Sabrina Fair Llorens Allen has been missing since Apr 21, 2002. Sabrina was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Dara Marie Llorens. Dara has a Federal Arrest Warrant and is wanted by the FBI. They may be in New Mexico or Mexico, but they could also be in your own home town. Please look for them. Sabrina is in danger.

    http://www.findsabrina.org/


    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 6, 2003
  2. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Al White http://www.alwhite.com heard about Rachel Cooke and was unable to sleep. He wrote Rachel's Song and presented it to the Cookes in Spetember 2002. Al White and the Chaparral will be opening the first-ever Texas' concert for the missing on April 6, 2003.

    Place: Dallas Night Club
    7113 Burnet Rd
    Austin, TX
    Time: 1:00-6:00 p.m.

    http://www.rachelcookesearch.org/concert.html

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs

    (Maybe Shyshe or Humanity can list the names for us. I know I was introduced but I can't put the names and faces together now. Al is on the left though!)
     
  3. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Erin Bruno (on the right) is a case manager for the Center for Missing Adults in Phoenix, Az.
    www.missingadults.org

    Erin is responsible for getting Rachel's picture on Darrell LaMoure's race car among other things.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  4. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Sarah (Hilton Inns) has always been there to provide rooms (comped or at least at a very good rates) for searchers or those involved in events such as the Music For The Missing. Sarah is standing (white blouse) about the center of the picture. Sarah is also a member of Texas EquuSearch.


    Unfortunately, I didn't get good pictures of Todd and Mrs. Todd (that's Mrs. Todd in the red top and the back of Todd's head) but they have been real troupers. Once again, they prepared and served a great meal for everyone.

    www.expressgourmets.com

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  5. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Marie, a tireless searcher and dedicated advocate for the missing. Marie collected a lot of donations for the auction, helped get the banquet set up, made sure everyone had everything they needed, helped with the clean up and headed home to bake cookies for tomorrow! Marie is someone you always want on your team no matter what you are doing.

    Here Marie is showing the autographed picture of Fabio - just one of the items she got donated for the auction.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs


    (I forgot to get permission from Shyshe and Humanity to post your picture so I won't post it for now. Ladies, let me know via email if it's OK.)
     
  6. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Just a few of the auction items.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  7. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Last but not least, my favorite picture of the night. As difficult as it is to not know where your child is, Janet finally has some moments when she gets some of her sparkle back.


    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  8. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Music For The Missing Fundraiser

    This has been an unbelievable experience. More donations came in today as we were setting up for the concert. One of the "prize" donations was this poster of Ricky Williams record breaking run, autographed by Ricky and donated by his mother to Sabrina Allen's father for the fundraiser. RC will have to give a final tally but I believe we had close to 200 items at the auction.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 7, 2003
  9. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott was unable to attend the fundraiser but he sent a personal representative along with a nice letter for the Cookes and annother "prize" item for the auction. The item sent was a flag that has flown over the Capital complete with certificate of authenticity.

    Unfortunately, the digital pictures of the presentation didn't come out due to the stage lighting. Hopefully, the 35mm pictures will turn out. Sorry RC and Janet.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  10. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Fortunately, I took this shot before the presentation so I do have a shot of the Cookes with the AG rep. My bad, I don't remember his name. Maybe RC will fill us in.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  11. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Every person on the stage belongs to the special club RC talks about. They have lost a loved one. Some have had closure - most have not.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  12. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    This is Niki Brown (2nd from left) and her family. Niki Brown was missing last August. Niki was lured away from her family by a man she met on the internet. She is now home safe with her family and her family is working to raise awareness on this issue.

    Note: Because this is a public forum the minor child's face has been protected.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  13. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Al White and the Chaparral (or part of them.)


    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  14. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Al White and the Chaparral (the other side of the stage.) Sorry, the stage lights made it very difficult to get a full stage shot and have the digital pictures come out.


    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  15. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Humanity, Shyshe (am guessing KB and Faith?) made up a number of items to sell to raise more funds, including candles and t-shirts. Here are the t-shirts.

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  16. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    The candles were lit when Al sang <u>Rachel's Song</u>. Let me tell you there was not one dry eye in the house. Al was struggling to get through the song. I have to really applaud RC and Janet for having the strength to walk up on the stage to try to give Al moral support. I was sitting next to Shawn Hornbecks parents and was not able to do the same for them because as many times as I have heard it, I still can't get through the song without losing it.

    Before Al's band turned the stage over to the next band there was a request to perform <u>Rachel's Song</u> a second time and again, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Al was able to make it through the song this time but he strugled to do so and he too had tears streaming down his cheeks.

    If you have not heard <u>Rachel's Song</u> you can here a sample of the song here:

    http://www.rachelalert.org/rachelssong.html

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  17. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Last but not least, the local Austin chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) joined us and helped out with the fundraiser - they were especially good at bidding! In fact, one of them went home with the flag. BTW, the Salt Lake City chapter of BACA helped distribute Elizabeth Smart's flyers. This is a great group of folks who plan to become another EquuSearch on "metal horses" (their words.)

    Copyright ©2003 Jacqueline L. Riggs
     
  18. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    BTW, for those who are curious, I do know that Fabio's autographed picture went for $50.00! To each his own I say. I personally like my George Straight 01 hat.
     
  19. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    Forgot to mention last night that one of the donations we received on Sunday were a number of collector editions of the 2003 Hooters (Swimsuit Edition) Calendars along with several gift certificates to Hooters restaurant. Hooters is having a golf tournament in July and the marketing person who delivered the items for the fundraiser told me to be sure RC calls her immediately because they always sponsor a charity at the tournament and they may be able to raise more funds to for the missing at the golf tournament!

    Rachel worked at Hooters in California to make money while in college. It was nice to see Hooters participate in the fundraiser.
     
  20. JR

    JR FFJ Senior Member

    All but two of the items Forums For Justice donated sold. In fact with the exception of several Beanie Babies, I think less than a dozen items didn't receive bids. I believe RC plans to EBay the items that did not receive bids. There were close to 200 items at the auction. For a first time event I don't think anyone could have asked for a better success rate!
     
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