6th Annual Ride Benefits Memorial Gardens

by Madison Gomez
Delta Digital News Service

The sixth annual Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit was held Saturday, March 17 at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro. The benefit raises money for the maintenance and upkeep of the memorial garden built in rememberance of the shooting that took place on the grounds in 1998.

motorcycle

A motorcycle rests on a sidewalk at Westside Middle School before the benefit.

Robert Webster

Robert ‘Teardrop’ Webster, directs crew setting up for the Westside Memorial Garden Benefit and Ride in Jonesboro.

driver sign-up

A rider signs his name to drive in the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit.

quilt

Robert ‘Teardrop’ Webster and Dean McGlothin hang the quilt to be raffled off. Linda Auspaugh makes quilts each year for the benefit.

embrace

Two participants in the ride prepare to embrace before the ride at the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit.

white pin ribbons

Participants wore white pin ribbons at the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit in remembrance of the 1998 shooting.

Krystal Scott and Amanda Nelson

Krystal Scott and Amanda Nelson embrace while looking at the sundial in the memorial garden. Scott, present at the school on the day of the shooting, remembered the day: “The fire alarms went off. We proceeded out the doors and it sounded like firecrackers going off until we started seeing people go down and then it was run for your life,” Scott said.

white bows

White bows hang from the back of motorcycles at the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit. Five bows hang for the five victims who lost their lives and one bow hangs for the 10 people injured.

motorcycle repair

Several riders look at a motorcycle as another makes a repair at the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit.

group prayer

A group huddles for a prayer at the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit.

waving to the crowd

A rider waves to a crowd as the benefit ride begins. The raises money for maintenance of the Memorial Garden at Westside Middle School.

bystanders

Bystanders watch the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit ride.

riders

Riders for the the Westside Memorial Garden Ride and Benefit.

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