Police Chief James Craig is grand marshall for BRIDGES Walk for a Just Community

BRIDGES for a Just Community invites the entire Greater Cincinnati region to participate in the 13th Annual “BRIDGES Walk for a Just Community and Freedom Run” that will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The walk/run is a certified 5K (3.1 mile) beginning at 9 a.m. The event will start and finish at Owl’s Nest Park in Evanston (1984 Madison Road). The Kroger Company is the lead sponsor for this year’s BRIDGES Walk.  Police Chief James Craig is the grand marshall.  WCPO's Lance Barry is the MC.
“BRIDGES Walk for a Just Community and Freedom Run” registration and breakfast begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 29. The Freedom Run (Certified 5K) begins at 9:50 a.m. and the BRIDGES Walk begins at 10 a.m. Following the walk/run, participants can celebrate with a multicultural festival, including lunch, entertainment, and a kid’s zone that will introduce children to fun activities until 1 p.m. No registration fee is required for walkers – each walker secures as many pledges as they can from family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. The registration fee for the Freedom Run is $25.
Each year, “BRIDGES Walk for a Just Community” helps bring communities together from all over the city in an effort to “equip people with the awareness, the skills, and the opportunity to develop relationships that will engage and transform our environment into a fair and just community,” said Lynnette M. Heard, President and CEO of BRIDGES. “This year’s BRIDGES Walk event will be even bigger and better, uniting the most diverse groups of people together in the most unique ways while maintaining BRIDGES’ vision of creating and sustaining a respectful, equitable and welcoming community for everyone through advocacy, education, and dialogue.” Greater Cincinnati residents, teams organized by local companies, schools, and places of worship all participate in BRIDGES Walk to show their commitment to building a more inclusive and just community.

 All proceeds support the development and expansion of BRIDGES’ community leadership programs, including Public Allies Cincinnati, “JUST Community” Youth Leadership Institute, Village Schools, and the annual Police/Youth “Live-In” program.
In addition to the Kroger Company, this year’s BRIDGES Walk sponsors include GE Aviation, Channel 9 WCPO, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Mercy Health Partners, Catholic Healthcare Partners, Xavier University, The Cincinnati Herald, The University of Cincinnati, Corken Steel Products Company, Ernst & Young, the Cincinnati Police Department, The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, Castellini Company, Chiquita Brands International, Ollie’s Trolley and Skally’s Old World Bakery.
For more information about the BRIDGES’ Walk registration or to organize a team of walkers, please visit www.bridgescincinnati.org, contact BRIDGES Communication & Events Manager, Brittany Collins, at (513) 381-4660, or register on-line at www.firstgiving.com/bridgeswalk to create a personalized fund raiser page!