Rick Stiebel
News Gazette
A memorial run and a scholarship came together in a partnership that provides another way the community can honour the memory of Const. Sarah Beckett.
Brad Aschenbrenner, the husband of the West Shore RCMP officer killed in the line of duty in April 2016, presented Chris Foord with a cheque for $20,000 today at a gathering outside the West Shore RCMP Detachment in Langford. The money will go toward a Capital Regional District safety commission scholarship for people pursuing a career in law enforcement.
Foord, vice-chair of the CRD traffic safety commission, he is “absolutely thrilled and delighted” by the number of ways the community has come together to honour Beckett’s memory. The money will be put to good use funding several scholarships at least, he added.
“The run is a wonderful legacy,” Foord said. “What better way to pay tribute to Sarah and encourage people to follow in her footsteps.”
READ ALSO: Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground planned for City Centre Park
Aschenbrenner said the scholarship would have meant a lot to Beckett. “She would be happy to know the scholarship is going to people who want to give back to the community through a career in law enforcement. It will help secure her legacy just like the playground that’s going up every day.”
He said their sons, Lucas, eight, and Emmitt, 5, are doing well despite the difficult challenges of losing their mother at such a young age.
“There are things that still trigger the boys but we get through it with the support from family and friends,” Aschenbrenner said. “I stress the importance of making sure they know Sarah not just as a police officer, but as a mother who loved them so much.”
Ashcenbrenner said he was grateful to West Shore RCMP Const. Elyse Patten, the run coordinator, and everyone else who worked hard to make the inaugural Sarah Becket Memorial Run in April such a success. More than 800 people took part in the event, with another 200 particpating in a virtual run online.
