Friday, May 09, 2008

Already registered? Login | Register to use this site

Currently 75°, M/SUNNY

Site
| Web
- Search powered by YAHOO!

HOME

NEWS

SPORTS

LIFESTYLES

OPINION

OBITUARIES

|

CLASSIFIEDS

HOMES

JOBS

AUTOS

SHOPPING

Local

Business

Columns

Weather

News
Forums

Teens

State

Nation

World

Today's
Photos

March 28. 2008 9:00AM

Welcome native to walk in memory of his
children

Want to Learn More?

If you are interested in Lee Wagner's 'A Walk to Remember'
in memory of his children or want to donate or participate, visit
awalktoremember.org. He will also post comments to his blog on the site as he
walks.

BY DAVID BODENHEIMER
The Dispatch

While nothing can bring Lee Wagner's
children back to life, a remembrance walk starting in Peachtree, Ga., and ending
at Bethesda United Methodist Church in Welcome is Wagner's way of keeping the
memory of his children alive.

On May 9, 2004, Mother's Day, 18-year-old
Jillian Wagner and her 16-year-old brother, Lee, were killed in a car accident
on Interstate 185 in Lagrange, Ga. Wagner is a Welcome native, and his family
resided there until 2001 before moving to Peachtree, Ga.

Thursday, a
dedication ceremony took place in the Wagner Courtyard, a memorial that was
constructed at Jillian and Lee's former high school, Starr's Mill in Peachtree.
There, on Friday, Wagner began "A Walk to Remember" and will arrive in Welcome
on May 11, Mother's Day.

Starting off, Wagner will walk with youth groups
around the Peachtree area and talk to them about his children's story. He plans
to only walk on Saturdays and Sundays until May 1, when he will walk every
day.

The weekend walks have a double purpose, Wagner said. He is coming
off recent knee surgery and wants to use this time to help build up stamina.
Wagner is also inviting churches, youth groups, schools and civic organizations
to use the walk as a fundraiser for their own use. They can walk in memory and
collect pledge money for their own needs.

And when he begins walking
every day, Wagner plans to stay with family and friends along the way.

To
complete the trek on time, he will need to average around 17 miles per day to
make it to Bethesda United Methodist Church on Mother's Day morning at 11. Since
Mother's Day is on a Sunday and will mark the four-year anniversary of the
deaths of Lee and Jillian, Wagner is planning to speak to the congregation
shortly after his arrival.

"I just can't wait to get started; it's
something I feel like I need to do," said Wagner, speaking on his decision to
walk. Wagner plans to post daily blogs on his Web site, awalktoremember.org,
updating everyone on his progress and his experiences during his
walk.

Wagner and his wife, Debbie, have taken a very proactive approach
to keeping their children's memory alive. While the walk is the first of its
kind, the Wagners started The Jillian and Lee Wagner Scholarship Fund. The
scholarship is a result of the Wagners using money they saved for Lee and
Jillian to go to college to help other young people continue their education.
Any donations made during Wagner's trip will go toward this scholarship
fund.

"I didn't want Lee and Jillian to just be a statistic. I am just
trying to raise awareness and make and create a legacy for my kids," Wagner
said.

On April 6, Wagner will make a special trip to Bethesda UMC to
address the congregation at both the 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. He plans to
discuss his trip up to that point as well as give some details about the
Mother's Day morning ceremonies.

If you are interested in donating or
participating in "A Walk to Remember," visit awalktoremember.org.

David
Bodenheimer can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 241, or [email-masked].

Discuss
this article  |    Printer-Friendly Version  |    E-mail
this article

Have The Dispatch delivered to your door. Click here to
subscribe.

Copyright 2008 The Dispatch

OTHER HEADLINES

•

Probe
continues in shooting death

•

Lexington
woman reports rape

•

Lexington
man charged in robbery of FBI agent in S.C.

•

Central
girls' basketball team gets recognition

•

City
staff proposes tax hike

MOST POPULAR

•

Investigation
continues in shooting death

•

Lexington
man dies in wreck

•

The
Public Record

•

Spartans
hold off Ledford in CCC

•

Democrats
outnumber Republicans in primary

• Lexington
Chamber Guide

News Archive: TodayMay 08, 2008May 07, 2008May 06,
2008May 05, 2008May 04, 2008May 03,
2008May 02, 2008May 01, 2008April 30,
2008April 29, 2008April 28, 2008April 27,
2008April 26, 2008

Staff
Directory | Home Delivery | Advertising
Info | Online
Forms | FAQ
| Links
| Contact
US | Jobs With Us

The Dispatch is a member of the New
York Times Regional Media GroupAll Material ©
2008 The Dispatch