Hundreds expected at HERO Campaign Walk in Ocean City

More than 300 supporters and families of DUI victims will gather on the Ocean City Boardwalk on Sunday for the 13th annual John R. Elliott HERO Campaign Walk to prevent drunken driving.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by a 1-mile fun run at 10 a.m. and the walk at 11 a.m. beginning at the Sixth Street Civic Center.

Walkers may pre-register at HEROWalkRun.org or in person on the day of the event. The pre-registration donation is $25 per person for adults and $15 for students. In-person registration is an additional $5 per person.

All walkers will receive a commemorative HERO Walk T-shirt.  Face painting will also be available.

This year’s walk will feature a display of 13 HERO Patrol cars wrapped with the brightly colored logo and message of the HERO Campaign: “Be a HERO. Be a Designated Driver.”

    The event will include the unveiling of a new Ocean City patrol car wrapped in the HERO campaign logo.
  

A new Ocean City Police HERO Car sponsored by the Foster Karney Fund will be unveiled at 10:15 a.m.

The N.J. State Police Mounted Unit and their horses will return this year to lead the parade of walkers down the Boardwalk.

Miss Night in Venice 2024 Reagan McCormack will also be on hand, along with Miss South Jersey Molly Pugliese, who will sing the national anthem.

A memory banner memorial with the pictures of 20 victims of drunken driving crashes will also be on display.

Proceeds from the event benefit the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers, now in its 24th year. The campaign promotes the use of safe and sober designated drivers in partnership with schools and colleges, police departments, bar and tavern owners, highway safety agencies and NFL and Major League Baseball teams.

More than 150,000 motorists have signed up to be designated drivers on the HERO Campaign’s online HERO Pledge at www.herocampaign.org.

For more information on the HERO Walk, go to www.HEROWalkRun.org or call (609) 233-4787.