The annual Cross Walk, a Grand Island Good Friday tradition, continues as usual Friday, this time under the leadership of the longtime coordinator's children.
Rather than a church, the nondenominational event is organized by a group of individuals.
Ed Medbery, who organized the event for 30 years, probably won't be on hand Friday. But his daughter, Tarra, and her three brothers will be. Their mother, Marilyn, will drive along and give rides and water to anyone who wants them.
The 5.2-mile walk begins at 1 p.m. Participants will follow the same route, beginning in the Fiesta Latina parking lot on South Locust Street.
The Medbery children decided to continue the tradition because they had "great parents" who raised them well, said Tarra Medbery.
"We were blessed with a Christian family and we believe in the resurrection and Jesus and we want to be able to continue showing that to everyone and letting them know that God is here and anyone can come to Him," she said.
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During the walk, one person pulls a large wooden cross, which is on wheels. Before the walk begins, participants gather in a circle and hold hands as they pray.
They then head north on South Locust. A good portion of the walk is along Broadwell.
That route was chosen for its visibility. The participants benefit from the experience, but they also want to be seen.
Anyone on the walk is free to take a turn pulling the cross, which weighs about 60 pounds.
Last year's Cross Walk attracted a number of new people. Medbery thinks that was because of the exposure she gave the event on Facebook.
She's plugging the walk on Facebook this year, too. "So we're hoping to get another expanded group again," she said
The Cross Walk was started in 1991 by Tom Mason and Bernie Dobesh. Ed Medbery took over the reins in 1992.
How many of the Cross Walks has Tarra Medbery been on?
As far as she can remember, "All of them."