Group's Walk Raises Funds for Children

Walking is a great exercise in and of itself. But walking for a good cause makes the exercise help the heart in more ways than one.

That’s exactly what about 100 people did last Sunday morning when they walked the 2.5-mile perimeter of Lake Shawnee to honor the memory of Pam Jerkovich, a Jefferson native who died several months ago.

The walk was sponsored by Teens Against Dating Abuse (TADA), a group started atl about five years ago by guidance counselor Patricia Davey. Each participant paid a $5 registration fee, which TADA donated to Plan USA, the Jerkovich family’s charity of choice.

“Plan USA raises funds to benefit children from 48 countries throughout the world,” Davey said. “That’s where Pam’s family wanted the money to go.”

This year’s was TADA’s second annual walk. Last year’s funds went to the Jersey Battered Women’s Service and Roseann Krygier, a teacher in the high school who had a serious illness last year.

“Last year’s walk raised about $1,500,” Davey said.

In addition to sponsoring benefit walks, TADA has visited the freshman health classes at the high school to talk about dating abuse, and presented a program at Newton High School.

The program offers two eight-week sessions per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. According to Davey, students can join for as many sessions as they’d like.

“Right now we have about 80 students enrolled in the program,” she said.