Web posted
Monday, January 8, 2007
Community stunned by disappearance
By FOSS FARRAR
Staff Writer
Brittany Reed learned about the disappearance of one of her close friends and classmates as she reported to work at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Arkansas City last weekend.
Flyers asking for information on Jodi Sanderholm's whereabouts were being distributed at the store.
"My heart dropped," Reed, a freshman at Cowley College, said this morning on the college campus. "I never expected this to happen to Jodi."
Reed said she grew up with Jodi from elementary school. The two were in the same class at Adams Elementary. And they both were 2006 graduates of Arkansas City High School.
"She's such a good girl," she said. "She is friends of everybody."
Like several others interviewed downtown this morning, Reed said she was shocked to learn of the disappearance of Jodi, particularly in a town like Ark City.
"I knew her and her best friend," Reed said. "I never expected anything like this to happen in Ark City and to one of my best friends. It hits close to home. It's hard."
On Saturday, word of the disappearance spread rapidly throughout town. Some learned of it through their church pastors.
"A prayer group contacted a lot of people," said Tim Smith, pastor of Blessing Heights Church. Smith also is president of the Arkansas City Ministerial Alliance.
"We had a special prayer for her last night," Smith said. "About every church I know of put her on their prayer chain."
Few students were around Cowley College's Ark City campus because they remain on Christmas break until Jan. 17, said Sue Saia, dean of student life at the college.
"The ones who are here are involved in distributing flyers and candlelight vigils," Saia said.
Vigils were held two nights in a row, Saturday and Sunday.
Two counselors from Cowley County Mental Health in addition to a school counselor were available to talk with students at Arkansas City High School today, said Principal Marci Shearon.
"It's always a step we take in cases like this," Shearon said. "Students really need to talk to someone and express how they feel."
Jodi was valedictorian of the class and was involved in many school activities, she said.
"She has many friends here, and she's a wonderful young lady," Shearon said. "We all want her to be returned safely home."
Mayor Patrick McDonald also said he hoped she would return home safely.
"I'm hoping maybe she went to visit friends or relatives and doesn't know we're looking for her," McDonald said. "We can't give up hope."
Several people at The Brown's Store said they were shocked and saddened to learn about Jodi's disappearance.
"It makes me feel uneasy and sad for the family," Lance Niles said. "My heart and prayers are with them."
Otis Morrow said that the sudden disappearance of Jodi is the type of thing that is not supposed to happen in Ark City.
"We've always been prideful that our small community is a good place to raise children," Morrow said. "This kind of shakes your core in living in a small community." Morrow and Jim Lazelle both noted their church congregations were praying for Jodi and her family.
"If the power of prayer works, everyone in the community is sending them to Jodi," said Dan Deener.
Two sisters who are Ark City Middle School students handed out 350 pink ribbons they made in honor of Jodi to people attending the Sunday night candlelight vigil at Ark City Dance. Savannah and Courtney Hardister said they used their own money to buy the supplies to make the ribbons.
Kanyon Gingher, manager of The Grinder Man, said she learned of Jodi's disappearance Saturday morning when she took an order for cookies from the Ark City Police Department. Gingher told the person who ordered the cookies she would donate them.
Since then, The Grinder Man has provided sandwiches and other food items to several shifts of workers at the police department.
"We just wanted to help out in a small way," Gingher said. "This is one thing I knew we could do ... It's all about making sure Jodi comes home. Just keep going until we find her."
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