Release 8.29.03

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk

What: “Have A Heart For Missing Children” walk to raise awareness about the missing children’s issue and recognize Florida Missing Children’s Day, September 8

Who: Child Protection Education of America, local dignitaries in cities visited and parents of missing children

When: August 30 and September 3-8, 2003

Where: Major Florida cities including Tampa, Miami, Ft. Myers, Orlando and Jacksonville (see attached schedules, listed by city)

Details: Over six days, parents of missing children from Florida as well as representatives from Child Protection Education of America, area law enforcement, and local dignitaries will walk through several major cities on their way to participate in the Governor’s recognition ceremony September 8

Maps: Maps of the walk locations and routes are available on the charity’s Web site, www.find-missing-children.org, or by calling 1-866-USA-CHILD and requesting a fax of a specific map

Contact:

Don Smith

Director of Public Relations

Phone: 813-626-3001

Phone: 813-758-1876 (cell)

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk Tampa Bay area

August 30, 2003

10:00 a.m. – Kick-off press conference at Al Lopez Park, 4810 North Himes Avenue, Tampa, just north of Raymond James Stadium

Followed by Walk in which participants carry a picture of a missing child they know or one provided by Child Protection Education of America (CPEA)

Scheduled Special Guests and Dignitaries

Florida State Attorney Mark Ober with staff members

State Representative Bob Henriquez (Dist. 58)

City of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio (to make proclamation) and aides

Hillsborough County Sheriff Cal Henderson (or representative) with staff and aides

Major George McNamara, head of Tampa Police Criminal Investigation Division,

and other members of the Tampa Police Department

Representatives from Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and Clearwater Police Department

Rick Morera, Florida Department of Law Enforcement PIO

Al Danna, Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent and CPEA Board of Directors

Judy Belcher, CPEA Board of Directors

61C Boys and Girls Club

Zachary Bernhardt

Amanda Brown

Bonnie Lee Dages,

and her son, Jeremy Lee

Tierney Irwin

Jacquelyn Markham

Jennifer Marteliz

Gordon Page

David Provost

Dorothy D. Scofield

Tiffany Sessions

Mark Allen Thompson

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk Miami

September 3, 2003

9:30 a.m. – Press conference at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40^th Street (also known as Bird Road), in Miami

Followed by Walk in which participants carry a picture of a missing child they know or one provided by Child Protection Education of America (CPEA)

Scheduled Special Guests and Dignitaries

State Representative Gustavo Barreiro (Dist. 107)

State Representative Juan-Carlos Planas (Dist. 115)

State Representative Yolly Roberson (Dist. 104)

Carlos Alvarez, Director of Miami-Dade Police Department

Miami Chief of Police John F. Timoney

Fernando Fernandez, Detective with Miami Police missing persons unit

Hector Pesquera, Special Agent In Charge, FBI, Miami Division

Amos Rojas, Jr., Regional Director for Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Sgt. William Springer of Palm Beach Sheriff Office

County Commissioner Rebecca Sosa (sending aide Alejandra Castro)

Don and Claudine Ryce of the Jimmy Ryce Center, Inc.

Sherrie Friedlander of A Child Is Missing, Inc.

Marianne Malky, founder of Voice for the Children, Inc.

Representatives of Miami area Crimestoppers

Judy Belcher, CPEA Board of Directors

Jodi Katz for Buddy’s Home Furnishings

Family members and friends of the following missing persons

Zachary Bernhardt

Amy Billig

Amanda Brown

Shanythia Greene

Tara Jadun

Marjorie Christina Luna

Jimmy Ryce

Dorothy D. Scofield

Tiffany Sessions

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk Ft. Myers

September 4, 2003

9:30 a.m. – Press conference at Lee Memorial Hospital, Garden Council Parking Lot, at U.S. 41 (also known as Cleveland Avenue) and Llewellyn Drive

Followed by Walk around the Edison House in which participants carry a picture of a missing child they know or one provided by Child Protection Education of America (CPEA)

Scheduled Special Guests and Dignitaries

Lee County Sheriff Rod Shoap

Maj. Matt Chappelle, Ft. Myers Police Ops Division

Lt. Arlan Road, Lee County Sheriff’s Department

Larry Long, Florida Department of Law Enforcement PIO

Deputy Emmett Merritt and his bloodhound from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office

Jim Dentinger, Ft. Myers Police (retired)

Lori Williams, Lee County Sheriff’s Victim Advocate

Representative from Ft. Myers area Crimestoppers

Judy Belcher, CPEA Board of Directors

Jodi Katz for Buddy’s Home Furnishings

Family members and friends of the following missing persons

Zachary Bernhardt

Amanda Brown

Wendy Hudacock

Dorothy D. Scofield

Tiffany Sessions

Mark Allen Thompson

Find information about these missing people at CPEA’s Web site: www.find-missing-children.org

Contact:

Don Smith

Director of Public Relations

Phone: 813-626-3001

Phone: 813-758-1876 (cell)

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk Orlando

September 5, 200

9:30 a.m. – Press conference at Lake Eola Park, 195 N. Rosalind Ave., in Orlando.

Followed by Walk in which participants carry a picture of a missing child they know or one provided them by Child Protection Education of America (CPEA)

Scheduled Special Guests and Dignitaries

State Rep. Sandra Adams (Dist. 33)

State Rep. John Quinones (Dist. 49)

State Rep. Sheri McInvale (Dist. 36) (sending aide Nicole Daniels)

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Commissioner Patty Sheehan, Orlando City Council

Commissioner Daisy Lynum (or representative), Orlando City Council

Orlando Chief of Police Michael J. McCoy and staff

Lori Sanders, Florida Department of Law Enforcement PIO

Lee Shaw of Child Watch

Judy Belcher, CPEA Board of Directors

Jodi Katz for Buddy’s Home Furnishings

Family members and friends of the following missing persons

Falon Albury

Zachary Bernhardt

Amanda Brown

Dorothy D. Scofield

Tiffany Sessions

Paula Wade and her son Brandon

Vickie Wills (murdered child)

Find information about these missing people at CPEA’s Web site: www.find-missing-children.org

Contact:

Don Smith

Director of Public Relations

Phone: 813-626-3001

Phone: 813-758-1876 (cell)

“Have A Heart For Missing Children” Walk

Jacksonville

September 6, 2003

9:30 a.m. – Press conference at Jacksonville Beach, Beach Boulevard and North 1^st Street, near the lifeguard stand.

Followed by Walk in which participants carry a picture of a missing child they know or one provided by Child Protection Education of America (CPEA)

Scheduled Special Guests and Dignitaries

Jacksonville Beach Mayor Bob Marsden (giving proclamation) and aides

Jacksonville City Councilwoman Jenny Elaine Brown

Jacksonville City Councilwoman Lynnette Self

Sharon Gogerty, Florida Department of Law Enforcement PIO

Ann Dugger of the Justice Coalition

Linda Rice of Families of Missing Loved Ones

Sue Bessesi, Volunteers from City of Jacksonville

Judy Belcher, CPEA Board of Directors

Jodi Katz for Buddy’s Home Furnishings

Family members and friends of the following missing persons

Yvonne Katharina Belcher

Zachary Bernhardt

Amanda Brown

Keith Cauley (murdered child)

Christina Rose

Jonathan Towan

Dorothy D. Scofield

Tiffany Sessions

Joshua Bryan Smith

Sgt. Mike Eason and PAL of the Jacksonville Police will fingerprint children who attend the event. Fingerprinting sponsored by Waddell & Reed.

Zachary disappeared in the early morning hours of September 11, 2000, from the Clearwater apartment he shared with his mother. He has not been seen since. His case received a tremendous amount of local coverage for the first month of his disappearance, including a profile on America’s Most Wanted in November 2000. Although his case is still active, little information or leads are coming to the Clearwater Police Department. Grandmother Carole Bernhardt leads her family in the search for Zach.

Amanda was criminally abducted September 11, 1998, from Seffner. Through the police investigation, enough evidence was gathered to lead to the conviction of Willie Crane, who is currently on death row. To date, Amanda’s body has not been recovered.

Roy and Sylvia Brown, father and stepmother, lobby for a variety of laws dealing with penalties for abductions and murder.

Dee Dee disappeared from an Ocala shopping center July 22, 1976. She is still missing today and her case remains active with the Ocala Police Department.

Since her disappearance, her family has been very involved with the missing children’s issue in this country. In 1981, her cousin Ivana DiNova and Ivana’s son Vince attended the Florida Governor’s Conference on Children and Youth, hosted by Bob Graham. As a result of the DiNova’s recommendations, Senator Paula Hawkins was able to create legislation that later became the Missing Children’s Act. The recommendations made were to eliminate 24-to-48-hour waiting periods to search for a missing child as well as jurisdictional boundaries that existed among law enforcement agencies. The DiNova’s also pushed for the use of the media in missing children cases to assist with the search.

In March 1982, Ivana started the Missing Children…HELP Center, which was designed to help families of missing children and the law enforcement agencies working those cases. This center became a model site for similar United States agencies, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Today, Vince is the executive director of Child Protection Education of America, the nonprofit missing children organization that has organized this walk.

Tiffany, a student at the University of Florida, disappeared from Gainesville February 9, 1989, and has not been seen since. She went for a walk that evening and vanished.

Since that time, Hilary Sessions has been an advocate for all missing children. She has appeared on many national talk shows discussing the issue and has spoken to many groups about the missing children’s issue.