Union University hosts 16th annual ‘Remember Me Walk’

JACKSON, Tenn. — One local college is helping residents remember the lives of loved ones gone too soon.

Union University hosts a walk for survivors of homicide to gather together and honor the memory of their loved ones. Each year families gather on Union’s campus to honor and celebrate the lives of their loved ones lost to homicide.

Survivors were invited for a meal in the Carl Grant Events Center.

“Survivors would say everyone knows the names of the killers but nobody knows the names of our family members, so they came up with this idea to have this walk where they come in. They’re going to get to walk down around the bell tower and carry these pictures of their family members and so people will come and witness and watch them walk and see their loved ones who are killed and dignify them in their grief,” said Noah Phillips, Union graduate assistant.

This occasion also features Union’s musical group voices of proclamation. The Union School of Social Work’s Center for Just and Caring Communities sponsors this event with no registration required.

“I believe that we created a space for their grief to be honored, for their loved ones to be honored, not only in their dying memory, but in their living memory,” said Sarah Robbins, Union alumni.

One family participating in this walk lost their son, Jerome Ellington, on January 28, 2009 to a violent crime. Ellington’s mother tells us when they became a part of the survivors of homicide group they along with others wanted to create something tangible that the group could have to honor their loved ones.

“They just suggested that we do this memory quilt and I just started, and it’s just something that I do because I know how important it is on this journey that we do remember our loved ones,” said Robbins.

Parents Clifton and Norma Ellington also created a scholarship in their son’s memory as a way of sharing his legacy, and contributing back to the community. They are the founders of the Jerome Ellington Scholarship at Lane College.

“We’ve been doing this going on 12 years now and it’s really an honor to give students scholarship so they can go to school. That’s something he wanted to do all his life,” said Clifton Ellington, father of homicide victim.

Many participants share a common belief that there is no expiration date on grief.

“It’s been fifteen years for me. Some people say you should be over it but it’s no time limit on it,” said Norma Ellington, mother of homicide victim.

The program ends with an escort from Southside High School Navy Juniors Reserve Training Corps and the Liberty Tech High School Air Force Juniors Reserve Training Corps followed by the ringing of the Union bell tower, a candlelit ceremony and balloon release around the great lawn on campus.

If you’re looking to get involved at Union, they kick off their 22nd annual campus wide Community Day on Tuesday, October 22. And Grammy nominated artists Keith and Kristyn Getty will perform at Union’s 26th annual Scholarship Banquet on Tuesday, December 3.

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