FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Second annual “Have a Heart for Missing Children” Walk to kick-off August 30 in Tampa

Child Protection Education of America (CPEA) is proud to announce that the “Have a Heart for Missing Children” Walk will begin August 30 at 10 a.m. in Al Lopez Park.

The walk, organized to raise awareness about Florida Missing Children Day on September 8, will be held in four other major cites – Miami, Ft. Myers, Orlando and Jacksonville. Members of the walk committee and CPEA staff will then continue to Tallahassee to participate in Florida’s Missing Children’s Day ceremony, hosted by Governor Jeb Bush on the steps of the state capitol.

The kick-off will feature several dignitaries from the Tampa Bay area. Mayor Pam Iorio will give a proclamation from the city of Tampa. Florida State Attorney Mark Ober will also attend the walk along with representatives from Hillsborough County and Tampa law enforcement.

After a short press conference, these special guests, family members and friends of the missing and CPEA staff will walk the park holding pictures of missing children. The general public is invited to join the walkers and carry pictures provided by CPEA.

This is the second year for the walk. It began last year when a group of family members of missing children approached CPEA about help with such an event. This core group included relatives of missing children Zachary Bernhardt, Amanda Brown, Dee Scofield and Tiffany Sessions. (For more information about these cases and families, see the “Who Are The Families Involved?” sheet included in the press kit.)

Child Protection Education of America (CPEA) is a national nonprofit missing children organization based in Tampa, Fla., that assists parents and law enforcement officers involved with missing children cases by offering free photograph distribution.

The charity also offers safety education events, including its state-of-the-art ID ME NOW fingerprinting program. CPEA is the second largest missing children organization in number of registered cases in the country. For more information about CPEA, see its Web site at www.find-missing-children.org.

Contact:
Don Smith
Director of Public Relations
Phone: 813-626-3001
Phone: 813-758-1876 (cell)