POMEROY — The parents, family and friends of the late Emily Grace Deem, have taken an empty, unattractive lot near the Pomeroy Ball Fields and turned it into a vibrant place for the entire community to enjoy; a community that will hopefully show its support this Saturday by walking to raise funds for further additions to Emi’s Place.

The Community Walk for the Park begins with registration at 9 a.m., Saturday, June 19 at the Emily Grace Deem Remembrance Park, also known as Emi’s Place, located on the edge of the Pomeroy Ball Fields. The cost is $15. The walk begins at 10 a.m. on the Pomeroy walking path and participants can walk anytime from 10 a.m. - noon. Door prizes, which all walkers are eligible for, will be given away at noon. Organizers will also be taking orders for additional walk day T-shirts for $10 each. The first 50 walkers to register will receive a free T-shirt. All ages are welcome to participate though participants under the age of 18 must have their parent’s and/or a guardian’s signature to walk.

The Community Walk for the Park will hopefully allow Emily’s family to eventually purchase benches, trash receptacles and a water fountain for Emi’s Place. The Deem family also has a goal of purchasing another piece of play equipment and constructing a shelter house at Emi’s Place some time in the future.

Emi’s Place had it’s grand opening last month with a ribbon cutting ceremony and blessing by Father Walter Heinz. Emily’s close friends, classmates, teammates from the Pomeroy Youth League and cousins helped to cut the pink ribbon to officially open the park.

Thousands of dollars have been raised to bring the park to life, making it a living tribute to a little girl who spent many hours at the Pomeroy Ball Fields playing softball with teammates and friends. Emily’s love of softball as well as playing outdoors, especially on her swing, were just some of the inspiration for the park. Other tributes to Emily and what inspired her are found throughout Emi’s Place, including “Skittle Land,” which is the main piece of playground equipment named after Emily’s group of friends “the Skittles,” as well as a hot pink swing set and Slider the turtle.

Emily’s family describes her as a “very special young lady, who with great love and compassion wrapped up life in a very colorful package, and in return she shared it freely with her family, her many friends and loved ones and her community.” The memory of this big personality in a small package is kept alive by fund raisers like the walk which benefit the park, which in turn benefits the community.

According to Emily’s parents, Dave and Jamie Deem, also on Saturday, there will be a Picnic in the Park concession stand with “our famous grilled burgers, dogs, sausages and other picnic style goodies.”

Also, a July Yard Sale / Picnic in the Park will be held from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Friday July 2 and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Saturday, July 3 to raise even more funds for more additions to the park. Concessions will also be available on Saturday, July 3.

For more information on, or to make donations to, the non-profit Emily Grace Deem Memorial Fund, contact the Deem’s at 148 Butternut Ave., Pomeroy, 45769, 992-5409, jamie.deem@meigslocal.org, david.deem@meigslocal.org