2,400 People “Walk to Remember,” Raise Nearly $200,000 for Hospice of the Western Reserve

Community spirit, dedicated workers and volunteers, and Mother Nature each had a part in making Hospice of the Western Reserve’s Walk to Remember 2016 a huge success. Sponsored by FirstMerit Bank, the annual fundraiser drew more than 2,400 walkers to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on June 12 to celebrate the memory of their loved ones. More than $200,000 was raised to help fund special programs and services provided by the nonprofit organization.

News anchor Leon Bibb of WEWS, TV 5 was a special guest of honor. He expressed his gratitude for the care Hospice of the Western Reserve provided to his mother, and for the support of his family, and shared a moving poem he wrote in his mother’s memory. The Burning River Roller Derby Girls skated to the front of the pack to kick off the Walk, and the popular local band, InCahootz, provided live entertainment.  Face painting, crafts, chair massages and Reiki were among the many special activities available to teams of walkers during the event.  

“We’re so grateful for the community’s support of our mission,” said Bridget Murphy, corporate giving and special events manager. “People we have helped frequently become our biggest community ambassadors. Because they were helped, they feel a desire to reach out to help others. Walk to Remember provides a meaningful way to honor their loved ones while helping other families going through a difficult time.”

Funds raised allow the nonprofit community agency to provide a multitude of extra services not covered by Medicare and private insurance. These include more than $1.5 million annually in hospice charity care, a specialized pediatric palliative care team to support families of children with life-threatening illness, free community art therapy and grief support groups, grief and trauma support in local schools and much more.