The following information was provided by the local organizers:
On Sunday, May 12, Watertown youth and residents will join together as “Watertown Youth Walks for Peace” and “Watertown Walks for Peace” in the annual Mothers’ Day Walk for Peace in Dorchester.
This year will be the 23rd annual event, as well as Watertown’s fifth consecutive year participating in the annual Mothers’ Day event to support victims of gun violence. Join us!
Why We Walk for Peace. This annual event raises awareness and funds for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, a center of healing and teaching for families and communities affected by gun violence. Watertown Walks for Peace will participate for the fifth year in a row, and has set a fundraising goal of $2,500 to support the programs and services of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.
The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute was created 20 years ago by Chaplain Clementina Chery, the mother of Louis Brown, who was killed in 1993 on his way to an after-school Christmas Party for Teens against Gang Violence. Since its founding, the Institute has provided support to survivors of homicide victims and has modelled peace education. It is a healing center and a training and educational resource for the city of Boston and surrounding communities. The Institute has earned a reputation as an innovative leader for peace.
Where – and With Whom – We Walk.
Watertown Walks for Peace (WW4P) will join thousands of other walkers from Boston and surround towns to express their solidarity with families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. Opening remarks begin at Fields Corner at 8:00 a.m.; the walk begins at 8:30. Walkers will follow a 7-mile course from Town Field Park, 1520 Dorchester Ave., to Boston City Hall.
Those wishing to go a shorter distance may join or leave the walk at Madison Park High School. The WW4P bus will pick up walkers at Boston City Hall, bringing them back to Watertown around noon.
How to Sign Up. All are welcome – youth, families with children, anyone willing to walk for peace!
➔ Sign Up for the Watertown Walks for Peace Team. Individuals wishing to sign up for the Watertown Walks for Peace team must register at www.mothersdaywalk4peace.org before the event. (Note: be sure to register for “Watertown Walks for Peace” on the drop-down list of teams.)
➔ Sign up by May 8 for bus transportation to / from the Walk. A free bus will leave for Fields Corner from the parking lot of the First Parish of Watertown, 35 Church St., at 7:15 am. Anyone wishing to reserve a spot on our team bus can do so by contacting Mark Harris (617-924-6143, minister@fpwatertown.org). (Note: the deadline for bus signups is May 8.)
Those who are unable to walk are requested to make a generous donation to support the Watertown Walks for Peace team and the Louis D. Brown Institute (www.mothersdaywalk4peace.org).Watertown Walks for Peace is sponsored by the World in Watertown, Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice and the Environment, and the Survival Education Fund