Gary Gauger Pays Forward a Witness to Innocence Grant to Compassion for Campers

Former wrongly accused death row inmate Gary Gauger donated grant money he received to Compassion for Campers.

Gary Gauger, the wrongly convicted Richmond vegetable farmer who was falsely accused and convicted of the murders of his parents and spent two years and 9 months on death row, recently received a $900 grant from Witness to Innocence, a nonprofit that offers support to wrongfully convicted death row exonerees.  Instead of keeping the money, Gauger donated the entire amount to Compassion for Campers which supplies camping gear and supplies to the homeless in McHenry County.

Witness to Innocence received the money from one of the exonerees who did received compensation from the courts.  Nathson Fields served 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. His trial was tainted by Circuit Judge Thomas Maloney taking bribes in capital cases. Fields successfully sued the City of Chicago and gave part of his settlement to Witness to Innocence.

Gauger published an account of his ordeal co-written by Julie Von Bergen in In Spite of the System.

Gauger’s connection to Compassion for Campers is deeply personal.  Richmond neighbor Sue Rekenthaler became involved in his defense efforts with the Innocence Project and Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.  When he was finally absolved and released she accompanied Gauger, a quiet and private man, on speaking engagements to expose the reckless injustice of the system.  The couple married and Rekenthaler became his partner on the farm.

Sue was a member of the Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock and then Tree of Life U.U. Congregation after it moved to McHenry.  She served as Peace and Justice Committee Chair and was active in many social justice programs including being a pastoral visitor at McHenry County Jail with the Concerned Community for Detained Immigrants (CCDI), a child advocate with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), peace advocacy, food equity and availability, and most recently in support of the Coalition to Cancel ICE McHenry County.

Twelve years ago, Rekenthaler with fellow congregants Lisa Jacobsen and Bob Tirk launched Compassion for Campers to serve McHenry County PADS clients during the months of April through September when the old rotating church shelters were closed.  Originally with the help of volunteers from the church, and other religious and community organizations they served lunches every Monday at the PADS Kishwaukee Valley Road headquarters and distributed camping gear and supplies for those who were camping or living in cars. 

Gauger's wife Sue Rekenthaler with Compassion for Campers gear at a Community Power Shower event for the homeless at Willow Crystal Lake.

After the Coronavirus epidemic struck shutting down most services for the homeless including a new year-round PADS shelter, Compassion for Campers had to shift gears and try to provide essential items year round.  Currently distributions are offered at the Community Empower Shower events at Willow Crystal Lake on the first and third Mondays of every month.  The program is now regularly serving more of the unhoused than ever and it has been a challenge to raise enough money to purchase the gear and supplies.

Gauger’s donation was enough to fund supplies for about one month, but more is needed to continue the work.  Donations can be made to Tree of Life UU Congregation by check with Compassion for Campers on the memo line or online at https://treeoflifeuu.breezechms.com/give/online noting the designation of the donation.  All donations are placed in a dedicated fund that cannot be used for any other purpose and Tree of Life provides all administrative costs at no charge so that all funds go directly to aiding the homeless.

For more information contact Tree of Life Social Justice Chair and Compassion for Campers coordinator Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net or call 815 814-5645.