May 12, 2002
Sunday - 12:15 am

Ketchikan - With the sun peeking out between the clouds over the beautiful Tongass Narrows on Sunday afternoon, May 05, 2002, a small group gathered to pay tribute to infant Adrian Barton whose short life was brought to a tragic end.

In the brief ceremony held in remembrance and celebration of the short life of baby Adrian, Dan Ball, N.W. Regional President of the Eagles Fraternal Order and local Eagle trustee, opened the ceremony by asking for a moment of silence in memory of baby Adrian.

Ball then spoke to those gathered about the Eagles long-time efforts for helping abused children and in the prevention of child abuse through the Eagles' Jimmy Durante Children's Fund.

Following Ball's remarks, Sherity Kelly, Education/Prevention Coordinator for Women In Safe Homes in Ketchikan spoke briefly. Kelly said that "Parenting isn't an easy job and I am here in honor of baby Adrian to help us all learn better ways of dealing with our parenting stresses." Kelly said that child abuse is not only physical abuse; it is emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect and that in our country 3 children die each and every day from child abuse. Kelly asked of everyone in the community, "Trace you hand on a piece of paper and take the pledge, 'I will not use my hand or my words for hurting myself or others'."

Following Kelly's remarks, event organizer Terri Bermudez thanked people for coming to honor the life of baby Adrian and spoke briefly about the work of the Eagles to help abused children and the importance of preventing child abuse. Ball and Bermudez presented Sherity Kelly, representing Women In Safe Homes, with a $500.00 check from the Eagles Order 162 for the Women In Safe Homes organization to assist in W.I.S.H.'s work with child abuse victims, prevention of child abuse and child abuse educational programs.

The ceremony in remembrance of baby Adrian was closed with a solemn and reflective prayer led by Jamilah Pitchford, a Ketchikan High School senior and officer in the local chapter of the Salvation Army.

After the prayer, those paying their respects walked slowly and quietly to the edge of the dock and gently dropped flowers into the Tongass Narrows in a final farewell tribute to baby Adrian.

Note: The gathering to commemorate baby Adrian was organized by Terri Bermudez a Ketchikan resident and member of the Eagles with the sponsorship and support of the local chapter of the Eagles' Fraternal Order Number 162.

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