Walk Sandy Strong

By Liam Givens, The Sandy Standard

After a domestic disturbance resulted in a triple homicide, the Sandy community gathered for a neighborhood walk on June 7. Hosted by Living Way Church, “Walk Sandy Strong” began at 2:30 p.m., offering resources such as the onsite professional trauma counselors in hopes to aid the “hurting community.” 

Sandy locals, as well as attendees from other churches and towns, gathered at Living Way located on Dubarko Rd., just a block from the McClure family's home on Evans St.. At 3 p.m., Sandy Mayor Kathleen Walker addressed the crowd, “We're here today to talk with folks who can help us rebuild our connections, recover our sense of safety, and find healing with each other.” 

She continued, “This tragedy hits close to home, because we're a small community and we and our connections are grieving this loss. Sandy residents are shocked and suffering the trauma, especially the neighbors, of bullets flying in [the] neighborhood, multiple fatalities, SWAT teams moving in, and one of our police officers being life-flighted to a hospital.” 

Walker references Sandy Police Sgt. Garrett Thornton, who, according to the Sandy Police Department, was shot four times. Stated in the Facebook post, “His recovery journey will be long, but he continues to demonstrate the courage and determination that have defined his service to our community.”

Finally, Walker left the crowd with a reminder of community resources to use during this rattling time, including the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) and numerous Clackamas County clinics. Additionally, Ant Farm and the Sandy Action Center offer day-to-day support for the community. 

Event organizer and Senior Pastor Sam Albrecht addressed the attendees and led a moment of silence for Kobyn McClure, Jenna Overson, and her mother Mary Beth Overson. “This walk has a clear objective,” he said. “It's based on the fact of things that were lost and wanting to have a sense of rehabilitating those things again.”

Albrecht acknowledged that he’s been at this church since he was 10 years old, calling Evans St. “our backyard.” “This has been a street that I've walked for years,” he said. “Kids are playing on that street, people are there, and that sense of safety that was robbed is worth coming back to.” Albrecht finished with a prayer. 

Walker led the community in Walk Sandy Strong, turning from Dubarko Rd. to Meinig Ave. The crowd stopped on Evans St. in front of the Firwood Village Apartments and gathered around a memorial for McClure, adorned with flowers and messages. Neighbors came from the apartment complex to greet those on the neighborhood walk, as well as visit the memorial site. 

Lorrie Albrecht, mother of the Senior Pastor, spoke about the community coming together, “I thought this was really what we needed to do because we're a family here, of people in this neighborhood. We wanted people to know that  it's a safe and a comforting place that we're here for each other,” Lorrie said.

Turning from Evans St. to Van Fleet St., a sign was posted in honor of Mary Beth Overson, calling her a “Loving mother and grandmother with a wonderful sense of humor.” As the attendees returned to the Living Way church, resources were available to those in need. “This time together, this is about people coming together from so many different ways of life, so many different organizations, churches coming together for this purpose,” Sam said.