Posted May 1, 2014 @ 10:55 am
DANVERS
An Arbor Day tree planting ceremony will be held at the Danvers High School on Friday May 2, at 10 a.m. in celebration of Arbor Day. Three pink dogwood trees, donated by the Danvers Garden Club and Danvers High School, will be planted along the front driveway. These trees will be planted to celebrate the life of Colleen Ritzer.
Content from Danvers Patch:
There is also a 5K Race in honor of Colleen on Sunday May 4th. To participate or donate please visit www.colleenritzer5k.com
Colleen was a valuable member of our community whose short life was inspired by many. Please join us this weekend in celebrating Colleen and help us to fulfill her dream of helping others!
On Sunday, April 27, 2014 friends of Colleen held the Colleen Ritzer Remembrance Walk. (More about the day may be found below the slideshow)
[slideshow_deploy id=’581′]The day began with a Mass in the College’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Family, friends, faculty and students then processed to the Kennedy Memorial Hall for a tree dedication in Ritzer’s memory. As a math major with a concentration in secondary education and a minor in psychology, many of her classes were conducted in that building. After the tree dedication, hundreds participated in a walk around the campus which was marked with signs that included some of Colleen’s favorite quotes. The day concluded with a lunch on the Chapel lawn.
The walk raised funds to support an endowed scholarship established in Colleen’s name by Assumption and members of the Class of 2011. The scholarship recognizes two of Colleen’s passions—teaching and math—and will be annually awarded to an Assumption junior or senior math major planning to teach at the high school level after graduation.
Benefit 5K walk/run looks beyond tragedy to celebrate Ritzer’s spiritBy Sonya VartabedianEditor
Six months after Colleen Ritzer’s murder, the pain of her loss remains raw for many.
The sorrow is still felt every day in the halls of Danvers High School, where students and staff don pink on Wednesdays in memory of the young math teacher.
DANVERS — Assumption College alumni and friends of Colleen Ritzer, Class of 2011, are holding a series of events to remember her, starting with a remembrance walk at the college on Sunday.
“We think of Colleen often, and she continues to inspire us to live our lives to the fullest,” said Ritzer’s friend, classmate and one of the events’ organizers, Caroline Rufo. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in the college’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Worcester, followed by a procession to Kennedy Memorial Hall at 11:30 a.m. for a tree dedication. This building was where Ritzer attended many of her math and psychology classes. The walk starts at noon.
The first Step Up for Colleen is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday, May 4 in Andover.
The 5k walk/run is in memory of Colleen Ritzer, the Danvers High School math teacher who was killed last October.
WORCESTER — Friends of a 2011 Assumption College graduate, who tragically lost her life last fall at Danvers High School where she served as a math teacher, invite the community to register for the Colleen Ritzer Remembrance Walk, to be held April 27 at the college, 500 Salisbury St.
Posted Apr. 18, 2014 @ 10:07 am
DANVERS
Friends of 2011 Assumption College graduate Colleen Ritzer, who tragically lost her life last fall at Danvers High School where she served as a math teacher, invite the community to register for the Colleen Ritzer Remembrance Walk on Sunday, April 27.
The walk will be held at Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester.
(ANDOVER, Massachusetts) – The 1st Annual Step Up for Colleen 5K Walk/Run, in loving memory of Colleen Ritzer, will be held on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Andover. All proceeds support the Step Up for Colleen Fund at Essex County Community Foundation. For more information or to register, please visit colleenritzer5k.com.
Friends and family of Colleen Ritzer planned this event to celebrate Colleen’s life and her commitment to helping and inspiring others. The organizers hope to promote a sense of community and overall goodwill as the community comes together to remember Colleen and the values by which she lived. “Colleen was such a giving person, and cared so much about other people,” says event organizer Nina Caron. “We need more of that in the world.”
The walk/run will begin at the corner of Bartlet Street and Chestnut Street, continue through the bird sanctuary at Phillips Academy, and conclude at the Center at Punchard (formerly known as the Andover Senior Center) at 30 Whittier Court.
Everyone who plans to participate should register in advance ($25 per person). Online registration ends at noon on Friday, May 2. The first 2,000 people who register are guaranteed to receive a shirt designed specifically for this event. Participants are encouraged to wear pink, which was Colleen’s favorite color.
About Colleen Ritzer
Colleen Ritzer, a lifelong resident of Andover, passed away on October 23, 2013 at the age of 24. She was a 2007 graduate of Andover High School and a 2011 graduate of Assumption College. Colleen was pursuing a graduate degree at Salem State College and was a math teacher at Danvers High School. She adored spending time with her family and friends, and was an amazing daughter and big sister to her brother and sister, Daniel and Laura. She left a lasting impression on everyone she met. From a young age, Colleen knew she wanted to be a teacher and worked diligently to achieve her goal. Even though teaching was her profession, it was also one of her favorite hobbies and her passion. She spent countless hours finding unique and creative ways to inspire and teach her students.
About the Step Up for Colleen Fund
The Step Up for Colleen Fund supports charitable activities that honor the legacy of Colleen Ritzer, including the Colleen E. Ritzer Scholarship Fund, which benefits Andover and Danvers High School seniors who demonstrate a passion for teaching, academic excellence, and love of family.
Media Contact
Media inquiries should be directed to Kristen Walsh at StepUpforColleenPR@gmail.com
Hometown Talent & Treasures and Yang’s nutritionist and fitness expert Nina Caron talks about a 5k Run/ Walk to honor Colleen Ritzer a Danvers MA teacher and Andover native tragically killed by a student. Hometown Talents & Treasures is a show produced and hosted by Eszter Vajda for WCCM/ Eagle Radio, COZI-TV and YouTube.