Undaunted by the heat, a group of Griswold Elementary School and Regional Multicultural Magnet School students departed New London on Tuesday to kick off ConnTrek's "Hikers Helping Heroes" benefit walk.
The walk will cover 100 miles in southeastern Connecticut, with students in grades four through six raising funds for the On-Site Academy in Westminster, Mass. The organization, which helps first responders cope with critical incident stress, and the walk is dedicated in memory of those killed in December's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Russ Salvador, a fourth grade teacher at Griswold Elementary, founded the walk in 1987 after a student suggested a walk across Connecticut. The event has been sporadic, with seven walks taking place in a row and an eighth one taking place after the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks.
Students are accompanied by parents, former ConnTrek participants, and escorts of firefighters and National Guard personnel. They'll stay at campsites, collecting additional donations along the way.
Kim Marohn, of East Hartford, participated in four walks when she was a student at Tolland and returned to take part in the ninth trek.
"I have all my pins on my hat here from all of the previous hikes, so it's adding the ninth pin on," she said.
An assembly at RMMS greeted the Griswold students and sent the walk off with a couple of songs.
""Wish us good weather," said Salvador. "If you know any good sun dances instead of rain dances, practice them."
Donations may be made on the ConnTrek website.
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