Elmhurst Walk To Help Kids Affected By Homicide

ELMHURST, IL – A group of friends in Elmhurst has organized a walk fundraiser taking place this Sunday, 6/9, starting at the Frick Center at Elmhurst University at 2 pm. The event is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to wear the color orange. All proceeds from the walk directly support Chicago Survivors’ Storytellers Camp, a camp for 50 kids, ages 5-18, who have been affected by homicide. Storytellers Camp provides one-on-one post-traumatic stress care by certified therapists. More information on Chicago Survivors is available at chicagosurvivors.org.

The approximately one-mile walk will start at the Frick Center on the campus of Elmhurst University at 2 p.m. For those who want to do a shorter walk, they will participate in the first part of the route, going from the Frick Center to the Be Bold-Be Elmhurst mural at Faganel Hall and then head back to the mall outside the Frick Center for fun activities. There will be music provided by DJ Daniel, face painting provided by 5 Balloons LLC, cotton candy, snow cones, and games. All are welcome to join in the walk and fun.

The group chose to support Chicago Survivors because of the work the non-profit organization does to help the community and surviving family members of homicide victims. Chicago Survivors offers a 24/7 helpline, assists with funeral planning, offers family and children’s therapy, and provides practical assistance to families. The walk fundraiser will honor survivors and seek to prevent gun violence by raising money for Chicago Survivors on June 9th during Wear Orange Weekend. Wear Orange is observed across the country every June to honor Hadiya Pendleton, a teenager who was killed by gun violence in Chicago in 2013, and the more than 43,000 Americans killed with guns every year.

Sponsors of the walk are Club Pilates Elmhurst, Stretch Lab Elmhurst, Big Shoulders CrossFit, Keep Elmhurst Green, Kaufy Painting, and Presbyterian Church of Western Springs.