MELROSE — The Melrose Alliance Against Violence’s 28th Annual Walk and Candlelight Vigil will be held on Sunday, October 22 at 4 p.m. at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School.
The walk theme, “Building Strength Link by Link,” reflects on how we as a community are supporting each other by coming together to build upon each link to make a stronger whole.
The Candlelight Vigil begins in the middle school auditorium with the reading of the names of all domestic violence homicide victims in Massachusetts since our previous walk, followed by song and reflection before heading out on a 2-mile walk around the Melrose community. The event draws nearly 700 community members, families, sports teams, and religious and civic groups.
The Walk and Vigil has been a long-standing community tradition in Melrose and is MAAV’s largest annual fundraiser and awareness event. Last year’s walk was an outpouring of support, raising over $64,000 in essential funds for the programs we offer both in the schools and the community, as well as for our survivor support services. These funds also supported the expansion of our Healthy Relationships Curriculum to include elementary-aged students and the launch this Fall of a support group for children exposed to violence.
This event raises awareness about domestic violence, honors abuse victims, and brings the community together to renew its commitment to preventing further violence. Community members are invited to participate in the walk by forming teams, serving as sponsors, or making individual contributions.
For more information on the Walk and how you can get involved, please visit www.maav.org or call 781-662-2010.
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MEMBERS OF MAAV’s 2023 Walk Committee at a recent meeting.