Yesterday I attended the Fairfield County Balloon Festival. It was a benefit for the Healing Hearts Memorial Fund set up by the family of Tina Herman and Kody Maynard. Tina and Kody were murdered in Mount Vernon Ohio. Kody’s sister Sarah was kidnapped and later found alive. A family friend, Stephanie Sprang was also murdered. What occurred in that home was horrific and I think about Sarah, her family, and Stephanie’s family often. Sarah hopes that the Healing Hearts Memorial Fund will help children like her cope with the heartbreak of losing a family member to murder.
I’ve never been to a balloon festival and I’m not sure that I want to ride in one, but what a magnificent way to raise funds for a worthy cause. The attendance was substantial and the children were intrigued by the process of the balloons taking form. An array of colors lay in front of us and as the balloons were filled with hot air they began to take form. With each puff the colors became more brilliant. Slowly they were given life and rose above us. The sight of them brought a smile to my face and I felt like a child again. This event was a beautiful way to honor Tina, Kody and Sarah. To me it was symbolic; we can rise up and make a difference.
http://www.tinakodyandsarah.org
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Published by ksbeaudin
Karen Beaudin is a published author and accomplished speaker who addresses the subject of unsolved murders to various institutions, including universities, law enforcement, and religious organizations during conferences and training seminars. She promotes the value of Cold Case Units and its importance to families of murder victims. Karen also supports the creation of websites for unsolved homicides and unresolved deaths. These websites can provide valuable information to law enforcement and makes available a place to leave anonymous tips.
Karen's media interviews include Elizabeth Vargas from ABC 20/20, Bob Ward, Crime Reporter from Fox News Boston; Sean MacDonald, Andy Hershberger, and Ray Brewer from WMUR TV. In 2009 Karen and her sisters were influential in establishing New Hampshire's first Cold Case Unit. During Victims' Rights Week, 2010, the Gloddy family received a certificate of appreciation from Governor John Lynch for their outstanding service on behalf of victims' of crime.
To arrange a speaking engagement, contact Karen through her website, or by sending her an e-mail as indicated.
http://www.karenbeaudin.com
ksbeaudin@gmail.com
A Child Is Missing exposes the reality that murder follows a family throughout their entire life. Future events often loop back to the day when a loved one's life was taken by the hands of a murderer.
Karen's sister Kathy was murdered in 1971. The case was reactivated in 1983 and again in 2004. In 2006 Kathy's remains were exhumed for DNA. A Child is Missing: Searching for Justice is the sequel to A Child Is Missing, it covers the reopening of Kathy's investigation in 2004 to present date. Karen interviewed over fifty people for the sequel and acquired new information from retired investigators.
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