The 4th Annual Atlanta Walk to Remember
October 19, 2008
2:00 pm
Concourse Corporate Center
Sponsored by

The Atlanta Walk to Remember takes place each October as part of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Parents, family, friends, and health care providers are invited to attend to pay tribute to the babies whose short lives have left an everlasting impact on our hearts.
The Atlanta Walk to Remember was started
in 2005 by parent volunteers.
The mission of the Atlanta Walk to Remember:
to connect parents, to express grief for perinatal
and infant loss in a visible and active way,
with support of family and friends.
3rd Annual Atlanta Walk to Remember
Pathway to Healing and Awareness
A tearful woman states, “Since our daughter died, no one seems to understand how I feel.” Her baby was stillborn at 26 weeks several months earlier, and she felt that her friends and co-workers, while very caring and supportive at first, don’t seem to realize that she is still grieving. They expect her to “be better by now.”
A couple announces that they are pregnant. Their family is ecstatic. Their friends who are also expecting welcome them into the pregnancy “club” where conversations are of baby showers and childbirth classes. The couple feels grateful to be pregnant, but their feelings of joy and anticipation are shadowed by thoughts of fear and anxiety. This isn’t their first pregnancy, and they wonder if anyone else remembers the loss of their first baby at 8 weeks into the pregnancy and the loss of their second baby at 16 weeks. How do they keep alive the memories of those children while going on with their lives?
A man displays a picture of his two-year old grandson on his desk at work. A customer remarks, “What an adorable little boy! Is he your only grandchild?” His thoughts drift to his tiny granddaughter who is in Heaven. Should he mention her and risk making the customer feel uncomfortable? Are their others who face this type of dilemma?
Those who have suffered the loss of a baby often wonder how to cope with the pain, how to move forward yet remember the baby who has died, and how to make others aware of the impact of this frequent yet often minimized kind of heartbreak. They may also question their ability to cope with all the emotions and changes that commonly accompany grief and loss as they search for the strength to deal with what has happened.
Sometimes people think that crying and feeling sad are signs of weakness. On the contrary, they are actually healthy and normal ways to express grief. Courage and strength are not defined as the absence of fear or the avoidance of pain. Instead, having courage and strength means going on in spite of fear and pain. As difficult as it is to face the pain and to work through the grief, it is both important and necessary.
The Atlanta Walk to Remember provides families an opportunity to deal with their grief, to remember their babies, and to create positive memories. Almost 250 people attended this year’s event that took place on October 14, and we recognize the emotional courage and strength it takes to publically acknowledge grief.
In 2005, Tara Spolan, Megan Unger, and Michelle Epstein created this annual event with a mission “to connect parents to express grief for perinatal and infant loss in a visible and active way with the support of family and friends.” Since that time, the Walk has facilitated healing where there was emptiness; fellowship where there was isolation. Each year, with every step that we take, we not only pay tribute to those children whose lives were all too short, but we also raise community awareness of the tragedy of perinatal loss. As this year’s co-chairs, Tara and Megan continued to pave the way for our Walk, and we thank them for their tireless dedication, hard work, and passion.
This year’s event began with families gathering for a ceremony that featured Eva Galambos (Mayor of Sandy Springs) presenting a proclamation that October 2007 was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month for the city of Sandy Springs as well as songs, poems, and stories that paid tribute to the babies. Next, there was a walk through the concourse (about 15-20 minutes) followed by a balloon release. Families had an opportunity to attach messages written for their babies to the balloons. A silent auction as well as t-shirt and car magnet sales also took place, and refreshments were available.
The Atlanta Walk to Remember committee is grateful to those individuals and companies who have sponsored our event. Donations of money and supplies as well as proceeds from the silent auction and t-shirt sales help to ensure that the event will continue to be offered free of charge to participants.
Butterfly Society ($250 and above):
Northside Hospital (Presenting Sponsor)
Cousin’s Properties and Concourse Corporate Center
Morrison’s Cafeteria (Northside Hospital Food Services Company)
Ribbon Society (under $250):
Archivers
Atlanta Flower Market
Cookies by Design
Costco Perimeter
Facelogic Spa
Fresh! Catering
Fresh Market
Diana Gardner-Williams
Greencraft
Kroger Cooking School, Alpharetta
Icon Salon
Tonya Maiseroulle
Fran Memberg, The Atlanta Jewish Times
Gary & Myla Lind, Waffle House
Merle Norman Cosmetics
Mikael’s Auto Wash
Betty Miller, Heritage Makers (www.mystorybooklady.com)
Sandy Rogers
MOMS Club, Cumming SE
Party City, Sandy Springs
A Royal Affair Café
Star 94
Robert & Helen Smith
Spolan Family
Trusted Hands Day Spa
Elaine & Tom Warren
Warren Family
WSB-TV
Special thanks to:
Marc & Aimee Alexander
Greg Boyd, Northside Hospital Call Center
Sheri Buckley, volunteer
Chef Christopher and Steve Gee, Morrison’s Cafeteria
Barbara Douglass, Northside Hospital Perinatal Loss Office
Jessica Elzey, ceremony singer
Alan & Michelle Epstein, volunteers
Mayor Eva Galambos, City of Sandy Springs
Tammi Milinskey
Pat Montgomery, host of Parents Rule! (Radio Sandy Springs)
Leslie Rowan, ceremony participant
Warren Safter, photographer
Lindsay Sifen, volunteer
Melanie Sifen, volunteer
Jahkhaya Roberts, volunteer
Sandy Smith, ceremony participant
Keith Spolan, volunteer
Tara Spolan, Co-Chair, Atlanta Walk to Remember
Mark Thompson, Turning Point Promotions (www.turningpointideas.com)
Josh Unger, volunteer
Megan Unger, Co-Chair, Atlanta Walk to Remember
Unger Family
Elaine Warren, dedicated volunteer and ceremony participant
Katherine Watson, Northside Hospital Marketing Dept
2007 Atlanta Walk to Remember
DONATION INFORMATION
Gracious donations ensure this event remains free of charge in the future. Donations can be made several ways and are accepted throughout the year:
Credit card, cash, and check donations can be made before, during, and after the Walk.
Checks made payable to NSH Foundation (please write "Walk to Remember Fund" in the memo section) can be mailed to: PNL Office, 1000 Johnson Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30342.
You can support our Walk by purchasing a t-shirt or participating in the silent auction during the Walk.
If you want to make a credit card donation before or after the Walk, please contact the call center at (404) 303-3674.
In-kind contributions are welcomed and appreciated! Please contact us at keelismom@yahoo.com or (770) 442-8995 to make arrangements.
Information for individuals and companies that make donations:
Information about the Atlanta Walk to Remember has been featured in these places:
Caring & Coping --The Northside Hospital Perinatal Loss newsletter that reaches over 1,800 families Northside Hospital website: http://www.northside.com/classes_events/main.aspx
WSB TV Channel 2's online Community Calendar
Atlanta Jewish Times
Radio Sandy Springs AM 1620
CBS 46 News website calendar
Sponsors of the Walk will be recognized in the following ways:
Butterfly Society--$250 and above: Company or individual name will appear in the Walk to Remember program, in the Caring & Coping newsletter, and on this website. Ribbon Society--up to $249: Company or individual name will appear in the Walk to Remember program