After Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 in Orem, Utah, Powell resident Emily Denney immediately began to mourn. The public shooting of the popular leader hit her hard.

“I knew I had to do something,” she said.

Wanting to help ease the pain of friends and family and also ensure Kirk was never forgotten in her hometown, she decided to start a race through the streets of Powell. But first she needed a date for the event.

Some may assume she picked Oct. 18 to compete with area “No Kings” marches, but that would be a mistake. With Kirk’s 32nd birthday being Oct. 14, she wanted to celebrate his life publicly, but knew a weekend day would offer more opportunities for others to participate. She was undeterred when she chose this past Saturday, despite plans for millions of people across the country to march in protest.

“This was the closest weekend to his birthday and that’s the significance of today’s date ... so we could remember his life and his legacy; not just his passing, but of him as a man, father and patriot,” Denney said.

So with very little time and experience, she went to work organizing the Heart of a Patriot 1K/5K/10K Walk/Run/Bike in Loving Memory of Charlie Kirk.

“I had a little bit of help along the way, but then Turning Point USA reached out to me,” she said.

Due to the short notice, it was a minor miracle the race actually got off the ground. Yet, 26 runners and about as many volunteers, including representatives from the Post 26 Sons of the American Legion, and onlookers met at 9 a.m. for the memorial. Participants, some in their senior years, some with dogs, one on a bike and even a couple of toddlers in a stroller showed up on the crisp, beautiful morning dressed in red, white and blue to commune with others also mourning the senseless tragedy.

Denney was “100%” happy with the first-year turnout and a constant stream of support on her social media account. And she intends to start planning for next year.

“We want this to be an annual event,” she said. “The violence needs to be set aside, and people need to come together. That’s the biggest [thing] I want out of this.”

Some participants, current students at Northwest College, came to set up an informational table about the new Turning Point USA chapter being organized on the Powell campus. When Powell High School graduate Abigail Jeffery, a sophomore occupational therapy student at NWC, mentioned her idea to start a local chapter to a fellow student, she got an earful. He told her it would be “the worst thing that we could do for the campus.”

“That was kind of like the push I needed, because I don’t like being told no,” she said prior to the race.

There was a little concern from an administrator who had seen in the past when groups organize after something big happens, many can’t sustain the momentum through the years.

“Other than that, people have been very receptive. We’ve received a lot of support,” Jeffery said.

The new organization had its first meeting last Wednesday and their event a few days later at the race.

“I think that if you have beliefs that you should advocate for them. Like, if there was a leftist group on the college campus, I would encourage them to do the same thing, because we live in a place where it’s our right,” she said. “I think it’s our responsibility to preach what we believe in. I feel like the Lord has called me to spread his word. And like, just share my obviously conservative beliefs, but also my biblical beliefs. And I would encourage other people to do the same.”

Jeffery was joined by students Trey Erickson and Brandon Diaz in founding the organization. Erickson said the group now has more than 20 members. After the run, some in the new Turning Point group planned to join a counter-protest at the “No Kings” rally in Cody.

“We want to promote dialog and have conversations and discussions with people,” Diaz said, saying there have been peaceful counter-protests in the past. “We intend to do the same thing today.”

NWC freshman and Turning Point member Marli Novy looks forward to being a candidate for a leadership position in the future. She’s excited to have a chapter at the college.

“Our goal is to promote awareness and make sure that it’s known that Turning Point is here,” she said. “We want to promote civil discourse, talking about our differences and reaching common ground, just like Charlie Kirk did.”

New Life Church Pastor Tim Morrow, who was asked to address the inaugural race participants, said Charlie Kirk had inspired him prior to his death.

“I just loved his way of thinking. That was an inspiration to me,” Morrow said. “We’re here to honor him and carry on his legacy.”