TOLEDO, Ohio — A night of food, drinks and live and silent auctions at Sierah's Birthday Soiree on Saturday raised thousands of dollars that will be geared toward your child's safety.
Hundreds packed the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg to honor her legacy and help raise money for Justice for Sierah, an organization with a mission to get self-defense classes in schools across the state and expand Sierah's Law throughout the entire country.
Sierah Joughin was kidnapped and killed while riding her bike in July 2016. Now, the organization Justice for Sierah is working to change laws when it comes to repeat violent offenders, and to empower young people with self awareness and self defense techniques in school.
"We need to empower and give our young people the tools that they need to protect themselves and to be more aware of their surroundings," said Sheila Vaculik, Sierah's mother.
$170,000 was reached this weekend to help make this goal a reality, and Justice for Sierah is working with local school districts to start pilot programs soon.