East of the River Compassionate Friends Sponsors Statewide "Walk to Remember"

On Saturday, the East of the River Chapter of The Compassionate Friends will be joining with dozens of chapters and thousands of bereaved across the country in a Day of Community & Caring, featuring a “Walk to Remember.”

The walk and daylong event, which will be held at Center Springs Park in Manchester, will honor children, brothers and sisters, grandchildren, and other family members who have died.

As the world’s largest self-help bereavement organization, The Compassionate Friends offers friendship, understanding, and hope to families who experience the death of a child at any age from any cause. There are more than 680 chapters in the United States. The local event, which invites participation from all of the Connecticut chapters, is being held in conjunction with The Compassionate Friends National Conference Walk to Remember® in Dallas, Texas where as many as 1,500 came together to walk this July.

Bettie-Jeanne Rivard-Darby, whose 28-year-old daughter, RobynApril, was tragically killed in 2008, founded The Compassionate Friends East Of The River Chapter in 2010. Rivard-Darby, who is also a bereaved sibling, feels as if The Compassionate Friends has helped to save her life.

“Especially in the beginning, we all have such an impossible time just even getting out of bed, putting one foot in front of the other, even remembering to breath. Everything in our lives changes,” she said. “The Compassionate Friends was there for me. They “got it.” They understood my pain and fear, as those who have never had a child die, can. They gave me shoulders to lean on, when standing alone was too hard. I wanted to honor my daughter and be that same shoulder for someone else. Our Annual Event helps to do this for other families.”

The FREE daylong event begins at 10 a.m. with the making of memorial crafts and features free hot dogs and hamburgers for registered participants and a pot luck lunch. There is a DJ, butterfly release, a memory board for posting photos of loved ones and a noon time Walk of one step or up to 2 miles lead by a bagpiper.

Registration is required for the event and is available at www.WalkToRememberCT.org. Additional information may be obtained by calling 860-578-HUG2 (4842).

For more information about the national organization and locations of its chapters nationwide, call 877-969-0010 or visit TCF’s national website at www.compassionatefriends.org. The Compassionate Friends has a presence in at least 30 countries worldwide.