McHenry County GOPAC sponsored a gathering at Niko’s Red Mill Inn Sunday at the same time that Charlie Kirk was being memorialized in Arizona.
GOPAC leader Karen Tirio supplied the photos below, while The Response’s Richard Rostron wrote the text.
Local supporters join national memorial for Charlie Kirk at Niko’s in Woodstock
While approximately 200,000 Americans attended Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Glendale, AZ, yesterday (around 90,000 in the main auditorium and the others in an overflow facility), hundreds of memorials were held around the country and, indeed, around the world.
Lots of parents brought their children.
These additional memorials tuned into the main memorial in Arizona.
Before the outside venue of Niko’s filled up.
One of those additional memorials took place at Niko’s Red Mill Tavern on Lake Street in Woodstock.
A huge banner hung from Niko’s porch.
Approximately 1,000 supporters of Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA showed up for the event in Woodstock.
Seats were at a premium.
The event was hosted by Niko’s along with McHenry County GOPAC, Conservative Political Action Committee.
There were even Roman candles.
Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA in 2012 about the time that he graduated from Wheeling High School.
Then, it poured.
He was assassinated Sept. 10 while conducting one of his Q&A events at Utah Valley University.
Ponchos were handed out.
Police have arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Arizona as the suspect for the murder.
McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio was there with his wife, Karen Tirio, who helped coordinate the event.
McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio didn’t get caught in the rain.
“I thought it was great,” said Tirio.
“It was an opportunity for people in our community to get together and grieve and join in the national service.”
Along with watching the event on television from Arizona, the memorial at Niko’s Red Mill Tavern also included a dissertation by Pastor Barrett Smith of River Ridge Church in Spring Grove.
Pastor Barrett offered to pray with anyone who at the event who wished.
Karen Tirio said that two people who prayed with the pastor committed their lives to Jesus there.
Karen Tirio speaks to the crowd before the downpour.
A follow-up event, National Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day, is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Attendees will have an opportunity to be baptized at that event.
