Bicyclists riding through East La Loma Park on Wednesday take a moment to read a banner about the missing mother-to-be.
JOAN BARNETT LEE/THE BEE
Posted on 01/02/2003 7:23:07 AM PST by runningbear
Bicyclists riding through East La Loma Park on Wednesday take a moment to read a banner about the missing mother-to-be.
JOAN BARNETT LEE/THE BEE
Shirley Dennis of Modesto, at right, came to the pajama brunch at the Red Lion Hotel with her husband, Jeffrey, sons Cole, left, and Jeffrey, and neighbor Lynne Blitch. The fund-raiser netted an estimated $4,000 for the search for Laci Peterson.
Moment to rest, reflect
January 2, 2003 Posted: 04:40:18 AM PST
By PATRICK GIBLIN
BEE STAFF WRITER
The search for Laci Peterson, the pregnant woman who disappeared Christmas Eve, took a break Wednesday.
The day turned into one of reflection. Hundreds of people attended a morning brunch held in the missing woman's honor or stopped to spend a few moments at a shrine that has formed in East La Loma Park.
For the past week, volunteers have lined up outside a mobile command center set up in the park, waiting for instructions on where to look for evidence in a case police say appears to involve foul play.
Wednesday, though, that center was used for a crime across town, said Detective Doug Ridenour, spokesman for the Modesto Police Department.
Instead, dozens of people went to the park and used it for its original purpose -- to bike ride, roller skate and play Frisbee golf. Many also stopped and reflected on a large poster, with Peterson's picture on it, that has dozens of melted candles in front of it.
"I've done some searching in the park and walked and prayed a lot for her," said Carol Pearce, who was bike riding with her daughter, Lindsay, on Wednesday.
"There's a part of me that hopes that she's alive," she said.
Laura and Brian Gini, who were walking through the park with their children, said they, too, have said a prayer for Peterson.
"Since we live so close to the park, it's kinda scary for us," Laura Gini said.
At the Red Lion Hotel on Sisk Road, hundreds of people went to a New Year's Day brunch, where customers in their pajamas were offered a meal for $2.03 each. All proceeds were donated to pay for costs associated with the search for Peterson.
"We expected 350 to 400 people at the most, and we've had over 800 customers," said Brad Saltzman, general manager of the hotel. "Most of the customers said they came in here to support Laci."
When the brunch started at 8 a.m., there was a line of people waiting to get in. For most of the next few hours, the wait for a table was about 45 minutes, Saltzman said. People still were asking for brunch when it closed at 2 p.m., he added.
The brunch raised about $4,000 for the search, Saltzman said.
The volunteer center at the hotel -- used by family and friends of Peterson to coordinate the posting of thousands of flyers -- was closed until 2 p.m. Wednesday. Some volunteers came to the office, but not as many as in previous days.
Police officers spent the day looking for sex offenders who might be living under the Seventh and Ninth street bridges, hoping they have information about the case, Ridenour said. Detectives also followed up on some leads or finished paperwork.
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
Bee staff writer Patrick Giblin can be reached at 578-2347 or pgiblin@modbee.com.
'I've done some searching in the park and walked and prayed a lot for her'
For more on The Bee's coverage of the investigation into the disappearance of Laci Peterson:
But I have to ask. A Pajama Brunch at a hotel to raise funds for a search? That just sounds so wrong.
Modbee.com
sad situation in LA.
I think it was already planned (already named), and then they just diverted the funds to the search.
Any new news so far today on this?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.