Annual Walk of Remembrance Becomes Tradition for Many
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| Judith (second from right) has attended every walk since 2010. |
Have you ever had a moment where you knew that you were
exactly where you were supposed to be? That’s how Judith Halpert felt when she
arrived at the Angela Hospice Walk of Remembrance in 2010.
“The minute I showed up to the first one I said, ‘This is
the place I need to be,’” Judith said. “And I need to be there every year now
because it’s sort of like a tradition for me.”
That tradition began thanks to a friend, whose father had
been under Angela Hospice care in 2009, suggesting Judith and her husband come
to the walk. While many Walk of Remembrance participants, like Judith’s friend,
have had a loved one receive Angela Hospice care, Judith hasn’t. That isn’t to
say she hasn’t dealt with loss though. Over a 13-month period Judith lost her
mother, her father, and her mother-in-law.
“I think of my parents every day but on that day in
particular,” she said. “Good things happen that give you peace of mind, peace
of heart. They uplift your spirit. I love it.”
Judith said she was extremely impressed with not only the
staff and volunteers at that first walk but other walkers as well.
“Everybody is in a different stage of grief, but everybody
is out there walking and remembering the good times and not forgetting,” Judith
said. “Even if they’re sad, they are moving.”
Judith also mentioned the Felician Sisters’ grounds, where
the 2.3-mile walk takes place, and how calming they are to walk through. She
likes to get there a little early to take it all in, and just be a part of the
crowd.
Even though Judith mainly walks in memory of her mom and dad,
she said every year it seems like there are always a few more people to walk in
memory of, including her best friend from high school who had brain cancer, and
her sister-in-law’s father who died this year. Judith doesn’t have a walk team
but she does urge others she knows to participate. This year she sent out an
email to encourage her family to participate in the walk since it has been such
an uplifting day for her and her husband.
“You know you can handle anything after that walk,” she
said.
Since the tradition began, Judith plans on coming to the
Walk of Remembrance for many years to come, even if somewhere down the line she
can’t walk.
“Then maybe somebody will push me,” she laughed.
8th
Annual Walk of Remembrance
Date: Saturday,
September 19
Time:
Registration begins at 9 a.m., opening ceremony at 10 a.m.
Where: Madonna
University, 36600 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia, MI 48150
Cost: $25 in
advance for adults (increases to $35 after Sept. 4); $15 for children ages
6-12; free for kids 5 and under
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