West Shore residents invited to walk in memory of loved ones June 12

Residents of Westlake, Bay Village and the surrounding West Shore communities are invited to a day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and RainForest on Sunday, June 12, to celebrate the memory of their loved ones while benefiting Hospice of the Western Reserve. The 11th annual Walk to Remember sponsored by Medical Mutual and Oswald Companies is the nonprofit hospice organization's largest fundraiser of the year. It supports many of the services provided at Ames Family Hospice House as well as in the community at large that are not reimbursed by insurance. 

A few examples include a speciaized pediatric hospice team, customized programs for veterans, palliative care to manage symptoms earlier in a serious illness, music, art and pet therapies, volunteer end-of-life doula support, children's grief support day camps and a Pet Peace of Mind program. Registration is open at hospicewr.org/WTR and includes all-day admission to the Zoo and Rainforest and a commemorative Walk to Remember bottle holder. Those who are unable to attend in person may still support the event through online donations. 

Admission is $25 for adults and $12 for children (ages 3-12). Wristbands are required for admission and will be distributed walk day beginning at 7:30 a.m. Registration will close at 12:30 p.m. All participants must enter the zoo by 1 p.m. Teams may begin walking at 8 a.m. Day of event registration will also be available.

Since 2012, Walk to Remember has raised more than $1.65 million to fund innovative HWR services not reimbursed through Medicare and private insurance.

Walkers are encouraged to invite family and friends, form a team and create custom T-shirts honoring their loved ones. Fundraising pages can be created on the registration site to track each team’s progress, share pictures on social media and more. Get started at hospicewr.org/WTR.