‘Take a moment to listen.’ Family asks for peace, harmony with Weatherford unity event.

In a world of chaos, a little unity can go a long way.

In that vein, the Crawford family is doing its part to bring that to Weatherford with Unity in the Community, a free public event at Heritage Park from noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24.

“Our family is very close, and we are always gathering together for holidays, birthdays, or just to hang out and barbecue,” Kim Gray, a member of the Crawford family, explained.

“We thought it would be a great idea to take it a step further and invite not only our extended family, but the entire Weatherford community to come out and just have a good time with us,” added her cousin, Jocelyn Warren.

Weatherford has been a center of controversy lately due to a Confederate statue on the courthouse lawn. Protests have taken place around the courthouse both to remove the statue and to keep it in place, and some have included incidents of shouting, and even fighting.

Gray said this event is, in a sense, a response to that controversy, as well as the turmoil around the state and even the nation. All in all, however, the day is about enjoying each other as a community, she said.

“It’s no secret that our family has been very vocal about the relocation of the Confederate statue on the courthouse lawn. Tensions have been high on both sides of this issue for the last few months,” she said. “We wanted to create a space for everyone, no matter what side you are on, to put aside our differences for one day and just have fun. We don’t want this event to be anything political, racial, or about the statue.”

Warren noted that when they began advertising the event, there was no mention of the statue or the family’s position on its relocation because they did not want it to be the focus. However, she said, warnings have been posted on social media discouraging the public from supporting the event.

“We wholeheartedly would love for this event to just be a day of fun and fellowship. Nothing more,” Warren said. “There is no hidden agenda here. No protests, no guns, no arguments, and most importantly, no violence.”

The event will feature food, beverages, a DJ, entertainment featuring dancers, poets, local bands and artists, crafts for the kids, raffles, charitable donations and more. There will be candy bags for all children.

While admission is free, those attending are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for charity. Also, money collected from raffle prize drawings will be donated to the Center of Hope and other local charities in Weatherford.

“You name it, we will have it,” Warren said. “Our local police, firemen, and EMTs will be there to let children check out their police cruisers and the fire truck.”

Gray added there will be no speeches.

“However, we will have a local pastor pray over our event,” she said.

Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own lawn chair and blanket.

“Our family as a whole decided to throw this event to show this community that it’s not all about the differences that we have. It’s about being able to put all that stuff aside for a short amount of time and be a community. We are not the sum of our differences,” said Tony Crawford, Gray’s brother and cousin of Warren. “That’s what we wanted to show by having this event for the community. There’s going to be a little something for everyone and we want you all to come enjoy it.

“Maybe at the end of the day, some meaningful dialogue happens. When we do go back to opposite sides of the fence, maybe you know your neighbor better.”

And yes, COVID-19 protocol will be practiced, Gray said.

“Absolutely. We have plenty of space so social distancing will be strictly enforced, and masks are required. We will have hand sanitizer and masks available for everyone,” she said.

The two have plenty of experience putting together events, though they stress this is a family coordinated activity. Warren has a background in public relations and has put together community events such as film festivals, debutante balls, dance recitals, and community service workdays. Gray has helped plan church events and is the co-chair for all of their family reunions.

“Kim and I are listed on the event’s Facebook page as the organizers. However, this is a completely collaborative effort of our family, the Crawford family,” Warren said.

The family is also hoping to make this an annual event that grows each year with the ultimate goal of unified peace.

“I think we all need to just take a moment to listen. Everyone is doing a lot of screaming and yelling at each other, but no one is listening,” Warren said. “If we take a moment to listen to each other we may find out that we are more alike than we are different.”