Celebrate first National Crime Victims' Rights Week here Published March 31, 2009 By Evelyn Mickles 301st Fighter Wing FORT WORTH, Texas -- National Crime Victims' Rights Week begins April 26 and runs through May 2, 2009. This is a time to focus on victims of crime and celebrate our nation's progress in serving them. This year's theme, "25 Years of Rebuilding Lives: Celebrating the Victims of Crime Act", honors a landmark national commitment to victims of crime. Before 1984, victims of crime received little public support. The President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, formed by President Ronald W. Reagan in 1982, found widespread poor treatment of victims by a criminal justice system indifferent to their needs. Although most states had some form of victim compensation, most programs were poorly funded, despite the few victim assistance programs available in some states and the federal effort to fund victim/witness programs throughout the nation. Most communities relied on a few grassroots organizations -- funded by sporadic private donations and bake sales -- to help victims of crime. In a joint effort, the Navy and Air Force Reserve's 301st Fighter Wing will celebrate this event. In honor of victims, the following events are taking place at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth: - Candlelight Service at the Base Chapel, Apr. 29, 2009, at 11:30 a.m. - 5k Run/Walk at the Base Gym, May 1, 2009, at 11:30 a.m. There will be a brief memorial service in honor of the victims. The base chaplain will provide an opportunity for individuals to light a candle in memory of a victim or place the name of a victim on paper for prayer. The 5k Run/Walk will begin and end at the base gym. Promotional items will be available. There will be a hotdog and hamburger sale at the gym after the event. Please come out to celebrate the NAS JRB Fort Worth's first Victims' Rights Week. For more information, contact Navy Chief Petty Officer Jordan-817.781.7991, Connie Dye-817.782.5760 or Evelyn Mickles at 817.782.7620.