Bereaved families, friends to walk in unity July 15

The Mercer Area Chapter of The Compassionate Friends would like local residents to join in a two-mile "Walk to Remember" July 15 to commemorate children, brothers and sisters, and grandchildren who have died.

As the world's largest self-help bereavement organization, The Compassionate Friends (TCF) offers friendship, understanding and hope to families that have experienced the death of a child at any age from any cause. There are nearly 600 chapters in the United States, according to a TCF press release.

The local walk is being held a week before TCF's 30th National Conference in Oklahoma City, where more than 1,000 are expected to walk, the press release said.

"We are joining with bereaved families and friends walking in unity in states across our country to remember all children who died too soon, no matter their age," John Linkowsky, the leader of TCF's Mercer Area Chapter, said in the release.

Locally, walk coordinators are currently expecting more than 175 participants. They will meet at Veterans Park in Hamilton Township and will walk as far as two miles, the press release said.

"Whether someone walks two miles or a couple hundred feet is not important," Linkowsky said in the release. "What is important is that we have taken this time to join with family and friends who care that an important person - a child - is missing from our lives."

The walk begins at 10:30 a.m., after which participants will join in a picnic and share time with one another.

The walk is the Mercer Area Chapter's only fundraising event for the entire year. The chapter is accepting pledges and donations from the community, as well as walkers, to help support outreach and chapter activities, the press release said.

The preregistration deadline is Friday, June 30. Participants may also register the day of event.

The Mercer Area Chapter of the TCF will also hold its monthly meeting on Monday, July 2. The group meets the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Occupational Health Center, Building No. 2, in front of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital on Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Road in Hamilton Township.

The meetings, which are open to the public, aim to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive as well, according to the press release.

To make a pledge or for more information about the walk or TCF's Mercer Area Chapter, call Ray Chiste at (609) 259-0095, or on the day of the walk, Lisa Linkowsky at (609) 516-8047.

For further information about the national organization and locations of its chapters nationwide, call toll free 1-877-969-0010 or visit the TCF Web site at www.compassionatefriends.org.