Fordyce Strong Benefit Softball Tournament batting up to help support mass shooting survivors and victims’ families

FORDYCE, Ark.- Community organizers are gathered co-ed softball teams to raise money for the victims’ families and survivors of the Fordyce Mad Butcher mass shooting that will forever impact the town Saturday.

“God blessed us with a nice sunny day to play some softball,” tournament organizer Cassidy Kelly said.

According to Kelly, the money from the Fordyce Strong Benefit Co-Ed Softball Tournament will go to a fund set up at Reliance Bank that is split between the families of the victims and the eight civilians, and two law enforcement officers injured.

23-year-old Callie Weems, 50-year-old Roy Sturgis, 63-year-old Shirley Kay Taylor, and 81-year-old Ellen Shrum lost their lives on June 21, 2024, at the Mad Butcher grocery store.

During an hour intermission, the tournament organizers and community leaders spoke about the tragic day and honored the lives lost.

“You know no amount of money will help take any hurt away,” Kelly said. “But if it could take a little bit of a financial burden away, you know, that makes me feel a little bit better that I played a small part in doing that.”

Callie Weems’s mother, Helen Browning Grice, was in attendance, as well as many of the other victims’ family members.

“It seems like it was just yesterday. This is the longest I’ve never heard her voice or seen her face, but we are making it day by day,” Grice said.

She shared with KARK 4 News that the town of Fordyce has helped her more than she could have ever imagined.

“It’s been the prayers in the community that’s kept us going and got us this far so we’re thankful for that,” Grice said.

“You hear it all over the place, but I never expected it to happen here in Fordyce,” Fordyce Mayor John MacNichol said.

MacNichol says he never thought something like this would happen during his time as mayor; however, the town has overwhelmingly shown its support and helped each other.

“This here is fantastic; I mean, it’s bringing people to help show their love and their passion for Fordyce,” MacNichol said.

The mayor explains that events like this show him the town his healing.

A fund has been set up at the Fordyce Relyance Bank under the Fordyce Strong Benefit Softball Tournament account for anyone wanting to donate to the victims and their families.

As of Saturday, at 3 p.m., the total amount raised was over $15,000.

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