On Saturday, 36 Warm Hearth Village residents, family members, volunteers and staff walked 3.2 miles through the Village in remembrance of those lost in the 2007 Virginia Tech tragedy.
Residents at Warm Hearth Village, a nonprofit senior living community in Blacksburg, organized the annual event, offering people an opportunity to reflect and remember.
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Warm Hearth Village residents John Hillison, a former Virginia Tech Agricultural Education professor and department head, and Dr. Richard Shepherd, a retired physician who specialized in emergency and family medicine, were tasked with mapping 3.2 miles on the campus and recruiting the walkers.
The event holds a special place in the hearts of many at Warm Hearth Village, as several residents are former Virginia Tech faculty, staff, alumni, or long-time community members.
Fran and Bill Sargent, who have been Village residents since 2024, said they are honored to take part in the event each year.
“Fran and I weren’t associated with Virginia Tech before my job brought us here in 2007. On April 16th, I was at work, and the office TV played news of the event all day. I remember thinking something like that should never have happened here; this is not a big city,” Sargent said.
“We recognize the importance of Virginia Tech on Montgomery County and beyond. Many things wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Tech. We make the walk every year in recognition of the lives lost and the importance of Tech to the area,” he added.