Inaugural Hero Walk to Be Held Sun., Oct. 23

OCEAN CITY – The Inaugural HERO Walk, to be held Sun., Oct. 23, on the Ocean City Boardwalk at 6th, will benefit the HERO Campaign, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing drunk driving by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers. Be a Hero, Be a Designated Driver.
Walkers can pre-register on the HERO website, or signup the day of the event beginning at 8 a.m. The Walk begins at 10 a.m., and includes food, entertainment, trophies and prizes for top fundraising teams and individuals.
More than 1,000 walkers from all walks of life are expected, representing area schools, colleges, businesses, government agencies, law enforcement, bars and taverns, and the licensed beverage industry, according to organizers. Teams interested in participating can find Walk registration information at www.herocampaign.org.
On Sat., Sept. 17, more than 50 area residents starred in a television commercial to promote the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers and its upcoming HERO Walk. If you haven’t seen it already, the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers TV commercial will be airing again during Monday Night Football game on Oct 10.
The commercial, which is generating publicity for the Oct. 23 HERO Walk on the Ocean City Boardwalk, will also air at other times on CNN, TLC, ESPN and Comcast SportsNet, said William Elliott, Chairman of the HERO Campaign. The commercial features Elliott, his wife Muriel, their daughter Jennifer, and more than 50 local students from Ocean City middle school and Holy Spirit High School.
“It really turned out well, and we want to thank everybody who helped,” said Elliott. “It captured the spirit of Ocean City Boardwalk and the spirit of the HERO Campaign.”
The inaugural Oct. 23 HERO Walk will benefit the HERO Campaign, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing drunken driving by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers. More than 1,000 people are expected to participate. Registration information is available at www.herocampaign.org. The non-competitive walk will be a 5K, from 6th street to 20th street and back.
“As our organization grows from state to state, we’ll be doing more of these, but this one will be the first and we want to get off to a great start,” said Elliott. “It will be a great day for a great cause in memory of a great young man.”
The walk benefits the HERO Campaign for Designated Divers, established in memory of Navy Ensign John Elliott, who lost his life to a drunken driver in July, 2000. Elliott had just graduated two months earlier from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he was named the outstanding HERO (Human Education Resource Officer) of his class.
The HERO Campaign is active in five states, including New Jersey, where John lived and was president of his graduating class at Egg Harbor Township High School.
Major League Baseball and NFL teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Giants and Jets, and the New England Patriots promote the HERO Campaign at designated driver booths in their stadiums. Pictures of outstanding student designated drivers from area colleges are also displayed on highway billboards as part of the campaign’s promotional activities.