The Lucknow Sentinel, 2013-12-04, Page 2020 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Devastating loss led to healing through restorative justice
Dave Flaherty
QM' Agency
After suffering the most devastating
loss of her life, Mary Catherine Gar-
rod found it within herself to help
others.
Garrod was the guest speaker at the
Goderich Salvation Army's restorative
justice luncheon on Friday, Nov. 22.
She is a grief and loss healing facili-
tator in St. Thomas who's entrance
into the world of restorative justice
was unfortunately spurred by the loss
of a loved one.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2007,
Garrod and her husband both awoke
in the middle of the night.
"We were confused why we were
both awake," she said, adding they
soon heard a story on the radio about
a fatal hit and run accident near
London.
"I wondered to myself how some
coward could hit another vehicle and
leave," Garrod said, adding she "said
a prayer for their family" and wentw
on with her day.
Later when her husband arrived at
her parents apartment when he
should have been at work, Garrod
said she knew something was wrong.
Her stepdaughter Ashley, along
with her birth mother, had been killed
in a collision.
Garrod described feelings of "ter-
ror, agony and emptiness."
"Suddenly it hit me, that it was the
accident that was on the radio," Gar-
rod said. "We were the family I had
DAVE FLAHERTY GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR
Mary Catherine Garrod, a grief and
Toss healing facilitator from St. Thomas
spoke about restorative justice at the
Goderich Salvation Army's annual
luncheon held on Friday, Nov. 22.
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compassion for."
As time passed, Garrod and her family found out more
about the man who had taken her stepdaughter away
from them.
At the time of the accident, he had been 21 straight
hours, seven more than the legal limit.
He crashed into the back of Ashley's car just outside of
London.
"The police found him at the Flying J rest stop, slumped
over his driving wheel," Garrod said, adding he had pulled
in frontways to hide the damage to his truck.
Garrod told those in attendance that the fact that the
driver had two working cell phones but didn't call 911 left
her with feelings of "anger, bewilderment and sadness."
The next year -and -a -half of her life was filled with court
appearances which Garrod said left her broken.
While she was allowed to read a victim impact state-
ment, she said she didn't feel it helped.
"I felt disempowered and disheartened. There was very
little room for healing," she said.
The driver was eventually found guilty and sentenced
to nine months; something Garrod said many people told
her would bring closure.
However, the gaping hole left in her life by that Septem-
ber evening remained.
Garrod said she needed to speak to the man face to
face.
"I needed to express the impact his crime had," she
said.
However that opportunity never arose.
Garrod said the crown attorney told her they had con-
cerns and that the man never showed any remorse.
Although her attempts were not successful, Garrod then
ventured into the world of restorative justice.
"I made the decision to give back the gifts of wisdom,
forgiveness and compassion. As I help others heal, I also
heal more myself."
She said restorative justice serves as an alternative to
the justice system, which she believes has "an emphasis
on punishment."
"In restorative justice, there is an emphasis on repairing
the harm that has been caused," she said.
"It provides hope, not just for the victim but for the
offender as well," Garrod said.
The luncheon was held during Restorative Justice Week
from Nov. 17 to Nov. 24.
The Salvation Army in Goderich is active in restorative
justice through its Youth Justice Committee Program.
Bruce museum hosting
`Festival of the Season'
The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre is hosting
a 'Festivals of the Season' event to recognize the diversity of
cultures this Saturday.
Bruce County is becoming increasingly diverse, with vari-
ous faith -based festivals that occur during the winter season,
which are celebrated in unique ways by different cultures.
"The modern world is changing and traditional festivals are
the only way to keep our ancient cultures and traditions
alive," said Chandra Tripathi, organizer of the annual Kincar-
dine Multicultural celebration.
The event is planned at the museum in Southampton from
1-4 p.m., showcasing the festivals of Christmas, Diwali (Festi-
val of Lights) and Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast).
There will be samples of traditional foods, as well as oppor-
tunities to try your hand at crafts and activities, talk to people
about their festivals, watch traditional dances, and hear tra-
ditional music.
This event will also feature Celtic dance performances by
students of Celtic Academy Canada at 2 p.m.
For more information call 519-797-2080 ext. 107 or e-mail
nwhite @bruce county. on. ca