In connection with National Suicide Prevention Week, September 8-14, the "Waukegan Cares Walk for Awareness" event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, along Sheridan Road in Waukegan. The event is designed to support efforts to prevent suicide on a local level. The 5K walk registration will take place at 203 N. Genesee Street behind the Genesee Theater in downtown Waukegan between 11:15 a.m. and noon. The step off is any time after registration.
The registration fee for the 5K fundraiser is $25, which includes an event t-shirt and one free raffle ticket. To ensure that you receive a t-shirt, register by September 16. Registrations will be accepted up to the time of the walk. All proceeds from the walk will go toward furthering the efforts of the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force. For more information, or to sign up for the walk, contact Tom Granger at: Walkforsuicideawareness2013@yahoo.com.
In conjunction with the walk, a free family festival with music, local food vendors and kids' games will be held from noon until 5 p.m. Vendors include Greentown Bar and Grill and Jerry's Tacos. There will be a dunk tank featuring Mayor Motley from 1 to 2 p.m. Kids' activities will include a bounce house, a fire truck on display, games planned by the People's Choice Fun Center, a character painter, and police K9 demonstrations. Other festival participants include the Center for Wellness in Mundelein, Esperanza Project of Most Blessed Trinity Parrish, Gregory Auto Outlet of Gurnee, Secondhand Snoots, Waukegan Animals Getting Saved, Teen Challenge Faith Based Addiction Treatment, Blue Fine Art, Respiratory Health Association and Chiro One Wellness Center. Participants may also want to join the Waukegan Art Walk, which will begin as the festival ends.