Swampscott respect walk on Sunday

SWAMPSCOTT – The annual Walk for Respect, which is set for Sunday, is more relevant than ever in light of the recent shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., according to organizers.The Swampscott Task Force for Respect of Human Differences will hold the second annual Community Walk for Respect Sunday rain or shine. Participants should arrive at Swampscott High School by 12:30 p.m. Registration will begin at 12:45 p.m. and the walk is slated to start at 1 p.m.Many of the 165 students from Swampscott on the eighth-grade field trip heard the gunshots when they were inside the museum and several students witnessed the shooting from a second-floor window of the museum on Wednesday afternoon.Jessica O’Gorman, who is one of the organizers of the event, urged area residents to join the walk.”In light of what happened in Washington, D.C., this event takes on an increased significance,” she said. “This is a very teachable moment. We need to rise up and make this a very significant and meaningful event as we build respect and respond to the recent tragedy at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Support the Swampscott Middle School eighth-graders who were visiting the Museum during this incident. Together, we will stand united against hate and walk toward respect.”Organizer Paula Bonazzoli said approximately 100 people participated in the walk last year and organizers are hoping for an even larger turnout this year.”In light of what happened in Washington, D.C. when our students were there,” she said, “we want to add a respectful conversation about supporting our students who were there and the family of the security guard, who was killed, to the walk.”The 2.2-mile community walk will begin at the Nahant Rotary and continue to Swampscott High School on Essex Street, where the school will hold a spring arts festival after the walk.Those who want to take a shorter route can begin at Town Hall and catch on with the group as they walk to the high school. This year, the walk will include walkers from Swampscott and Nahant as well as from Salem and Marblehead.Organizers say varied respect artwork will be displayed along the route and eye-opening statistics with regard to bias will be available as well.In addition, 15-year-old author Brigette Berman is scheduled to talk about bullying and discuss her new book “Dorie Witt’s Guide to Surviving Bullies.” She will also be signing her books and taking questions at the arts festival.People are asked to park their cars at the Swampscott High School on Essex Street and take the free shuttle bus service to either the start of the full-length walk at the Nahant Rotary or the start of the shorter walk at the Swampscott Town Hall Green. Registration will take place at both respective starting areas.The first 200 registrants will receive a Respect t-shirt. The entry fee is $8 per person and children three and under can walk for free. All proceeds will support anti-bias programming in the community but organizers stressed no one would be turned away due to inability to pay.