Comment in the Forum

Contact WZAR Studios

A COMMUNITY OF UNITY

The Boyertown Area Unity Coalition

Boyertown Junior High West

Boyertown, PA – It was not a star-studded event.  No celebrities and no paparazzi.  But the residents of the Boyertown and surrounding communities literally stopped traffic.  Many residents came out to be a part of Boyertown’s history in the 2^nd Annual Unity Walk where the theme this year was “Every Walker Counts in a Community That Cares."

Boyertown Junior High West is just one place where race had become a big issue in the last year.  There had been racial slurs written on a bathroom wall.  That was when steps were made to begin trying to figure out how to deal with these issues.  Last summer the Junior High was the only school in southeastern Pennsylvania to earn the designation of a “No Place For Hate” school by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).  According to Mrs. Galtere, an English teacher from Junior High West, the other nine schools have begun taking the necessary steps to also achieve the designation of a “No Place For Hate” school.  However, the school is not the only place to suffer from racial indifference.

Within the past year, a Gilbertsville home had also been the target of a racial action.  There had been an attempted cross burning on a residential property.  And as most residents know, Boyertown had also been solicited by the KKK.  How can anyone forget passing by on East Philadelphia Avenue and seeing the white cloaked members of the KKK handing out pamphlets?

In order to promote both unity and diversity in our area, a diversity committee was put together to try to figure out the best way to deal with any racial issues.  One way was to hold a series of forums open to the public which began on October 6^th at the Junior High School.  The next public forum is set for Thursday, November 3^rd at 7 p.m., also at the Junior High School.  Another way was to be more visual in the community by holding a march which began last year with the 1^st Annual Unity Walk and which continued on to this year.

So with police escorts, a very large group gathered again this year and marched to spread awareness that the Boyertown Area welcomes people of all ethnicities and wants to stop racial indifference.  The group formed at Boyertown Area Junior High West which, so far, is the only school in the district to be deemed a “No Place For Hate” school.  Co-sponsors were The United Way of Boyertown Area and the Boyertown Area Unity Coalition.  The residents came out to represent all 10 schools in the Boyertown School District.  There were about 1000 participants.

The turnout was impressive for a small community.  There were adults, teens and younger children of varied ethnicities as well as their pets who came along for the walk.  Registration began at 1:00 p.m. for the residents of the 10 different school districts to sign up that they were there.  Q102 was there to provide some music and the sound system for the speakers to address the crowd.  The walk began at 2:00 p.m. at Junior High West on South Madison Street.  It continued up Madison and crossed East Philadelphia Avenue to Fourth Street where they continued to Monroe Street and turned left to loop back to Second Street and back to the Junior High School.

Some of the dogs may have been worn out until they reached the end of the route but residents were invigorated by doing something to show the community that they not only can stop traffic but hope they can also stop hatred and prejudice dead in its tracks.

2005 WZAR Internet TV - WZAR Radio - WZAR Productions

WZAR Studios