Friends, family to honor Winfield athlete who died in accident

Although nearly a year has passed since Bethani Werner of Winfield died after being hit by a car, friends and family have vowed to keep her memory alive through a scholarship fund in Werner's name.

This week, organizers announced they will host “Bethani's Nite 2” at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at her alma mater, St. Francis High School in Wheaton.

Werner, 20, graduated from St. Francis in 2008 and was enjoying her junior year at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa until the morning of Oct. 24, 2010. Around 2:30 a.m. that day, she was killed by a motorist while crossing a four-lane road.

Werner was about a block away from her apartment near the school, then was struck by a car driven by a 36-year-old Davenport man, said police, who characterized the case as a tragic accident.

Now the former athlete will be honored during the second annual basketball event to raise scholarship money in her name. Her parents, former basketball coach Mike Zierk, and other supporters organized a similar event in 2010.

“I told (her parents) it was not going to be a one-and-done event, that I truly wanted to keep the memory of Bethani going and the scholarship going,” Zierk said.

The December event will pit Werner's other alma mater, St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Winfield where she was a point guard, against rival team St. Michael Parish School in Wheaton. Girls basketball teams from fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades will each play one quarter.

Half time will feature a performance of Christmas music by Irish singer and songwriter Gavin Coyle, as well as free-throw and three-point shooting contests. Many of Werner's former teammates, who will be home from college for winter break, are expected to participate.

Throughout the event, visitors can also dine at an on-site pizza parlor created by Caliendos Restaurant and Bar in Winfield.

Admission is free, but donations are accepted to benefit the Bethani Werner Scholarship Fund. Scholarships are awarded to athletes from St. John and St. Michael who are planning to attend St. Francis for high school. Zierk said the scholarship seeks athletes who struggle to achieve good grades — since good grades did not come easily to Werner — and potential recipients are identified by teachers.

“Bethani had to work her tail off just to get a ‘B' and she did,” he said.

Last year's event raised about $8,000 and awarded five, $1,000 scholarships to local students, with the rest of the funds paying for the event, Zierk said.