Race For Beau

Community Unites To Raise $ For Slain Resident

A South Philadelphia resident will run a marathon later this fall in honor of a man he never actually had the pleasure to meet.

Andrew Shanks will run the Marine Corps 27-mile slog on Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C.

The young Philadelphian says he will represent all victims of crime, the city of Philadelphia, and the heroic life of Beau Zabel.

Shanks is moving into Zabel’s old room in South Philadelphia.

Zabel left his room empty last summer after he became the 139th murder victim in Philadelphia’s bloody 2007.

Zabel, a former school teacher, was one of 392 slain victims last year.

Beau's life was cut tragically short after a late-night walk home from Starbucks at 4th & South Streets, which ended in a fatal robbery that cost him his iPod and his life on cool Jun. 15 night.

Since then South Philadelphia’s citizens have rallied, and others throughout the city of Philadelphia have tried to raise awareness of Beau's life and ambitions.

“We have united together to create a reward fund, a neighborhood crime watch, a unification of community, and a nationwide search for answers,” wrote Meg Guerreiro. “These efforts have inspired the nonprofit organization Witness Justice to become involved.”

Kathleen O'Hara, who works on behalf of victims, was outraged by Beau's murder and wrote an op-ed piece for the Inquirer on Jun. 19, 2008.

She is a board member of Witness Justice, a national organization committed to victims' rights. Every year, Witness Justice sends a "Team Heal Trauma" to the Marine Corps Marathon, to raise awareness of victims of crime and trauma.

Shanks will represent them this year.

However, before then, Guerreiro and O’Hara are urging people to attend the benefit that will take place at Beau's Starbucks, 4th & South Streets, on Aug. 3 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Proceeds will be contributed to Witness Justices' sponsorship of Andrew Shanks and his goal to run a race of life that Beau never had the chance to. Proceeds exceeding $1,000 will be donated to the Scholarship Fund that Beau's mother, Lana Zamora, is creating in his memory.