Fund-raisers slated this weekend to benefit the Tokes Memorial Foundation

3/8/2018

While the trial for her alleged killer continues, the family of Reagan Tokes is finding some relief in organizing a series of fund-raising events this weekend to provide college scholarships in the young woman’s memory.

The Reagan Delaney Tokes Memorial Foundation will host three events spread over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the inaugural Rally for Reagan. Miss Tokes’ mother, Lisa McCrary-Tokes, said the family never intended for the fund-raisers to be held during the trial.

“When we planned this, we picked it because this would have been Reagan’s 23rd birthday weekend,” Mrs. McCrary-Tokes said, noting her late daughter’s birthday is Tuesday. “It’s very difficult to deal with everything at the same time, but we decided it didn’t matter. It’s something positive we can do.”

The foundation awards college scholarships, and all proceeds from this weekend’s events will go toward those scholarships.

The first event Friday is a dueling pianos show and silent auction from 6:30-11:30 p.m. at The Pinnacle, 1772 Indian Wood Circle, Maumee. Tickets are $50 with dinner included and a cash bar.

The second is a round-robin tennis tournament and tennis drills from 6-10:30 p.m. Saturday at Shadow Valley Tennis Club, 1661 S. Holland-Sylvania Rd., Maumee. Tickets are $35 with a catered meal and cash bar.

The final event is a self-awareness and self-defense class from 9-10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Martial Arts Center in the Shops at Fallen Timbers, 3100 Main St., Maumee. Tickets are $15 for the class taught by Sempai Shelly Blanco that will include instruction on situational awareness, how to avoid being a target, how and when to strike, the “illusion of safety,” and other topics.

Miss Tokes was a 21-year-old Ohio State University Student, Anthony Wayne High School graduate, and former resident of Monclova Township. Authorities believe she was kidnapped, raped, forced to withdraw $60 from a drive-through banking machine, and shot twice in the head in February, 2017.

The trial for Brian Lee Golsby, 30, is currently under way in Franklin County. He potentially faces the death penalty if convicted of charges that include aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape, aggravated robbery, tampering with evidence, and possession of a firearm while prohibited from having one.

Mrs. McCrary-Tokes said dealing with both the trial and the rally, sponsored by The Blade and its sister companies Buckeye Broadband and Telesystem, has been chaotic but “a little cathartic at the same time.”

“We’ve already had one of the most important things in our life taken from us,” Mrs. McCrary-Tokes said. “We’re not going to allow those circumstances to interrupt our ability to create a legacy to honor our daughter.”

For more information, visit rdtmf.com or the foundation’s Facebook page.

Contact Alexandra Mester at: amester@theblade.com, 419-724-6066, or on Twitter @AlexMesterBlade.