Pawleys Island, S.C. — St. Mary’s AME Church in Pawleys Island will host a special vigil and prayer service on Saturday to help stop violence in the community.
Called “Stop the Male-Against-Male Violence,” the event will begin at 7 p.m. at the church with a vigil outside.
Attendees will then move into the church for a motivational speech by Brother Darrell Cumbee and some gospel performances.
Benezena Morant, sister of Antonio Grate, a Waccamaw High School graduate who was murdered in Myrtle Beach in April 2009, is organizing the event.
She has organized three-day events on each anniversary of her brother’s death to raise funds for the Antonio Grate Scholarship Fund.
This year, she said the event will support the scholarship fund, but it will also help stop the male-against-male violence in the community exemplified by two recent killings.
James Earl “Scoopy” Richardson Jr., 18, of Pawleys Island was found shot to death on Parkersville Road in May and Sean Edwards, 21, of Connecticut was found at Club Isis in August.
“The tragedy and feeling in the families is the same; families looking for answers,” Morant said. “The community needs to come together to show support for families going through the same things we are.”
For more information, call Benezena Morant at 843-240-8738.
By Clayton Stairs
cstairs@waccamawtimes.com