Celebrate memory of loved ones while helping hospice

Residents of Bay Village, Westlake and surrounding West Shore communities are invited to walk in memory of their loved ones while "paying it forward" to help other patients and families. Registration is now open for Hospice of the Western Reserve's 2016 Walk to Remember, sponsored by FirstMerit Bank. Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Leon Bibb of WEWS-TV, Channel 5, is this year’s master of ceremonies.  

Now in its fifth year, the event takes place Sunday, June 12, 8:45 a.m. to noon, at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Registration is available online at hospicewr.org/walk or by calling 216-383-3715. Admission includes a full day at the Zoo and Rainforest, T-shirts, entertainment and much more. The cost is $25/adult and $12/child; or $65/family (includes two adults and three children under age 12). Ages 3 and under are free.

More than 3,000 participants are expected to honor the memory of their loved ones while raising funds for services provided by the nonprofit agency that are not fully covered by Medicare and private insurance. These include pediatric hospice and palliative care, patient “day to remember” life enrichment experiences, art and music therapy, grief and trauma support in local schools and much more.