Sociology professor pays tribute to former student at Hot Chocolate Run Cara Bergstrom-Lynch raises more than $3,000 in honor of domestic violence victims

Prof. Cara Bergstrom-Lynch participates in her 12th Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in honor of Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2013. Bergstrom-Lynch honors the memory of Wiley and aims to bring justice to dating violence victims at each Hot Chocolate Run.

Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, professor of sociology at Eastern Connecticut State University, participated in the 21^st annual Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, MA, on Dec. 8, her 12^th appearance at the event. Her participation raised awareness about domestic violence and honored Eastern student Alyssiah Wiley, who was murdered in 2013 by her ex-boyfriend.

The run is in partnership with Safe Passage, an organization that supports victims of relationship violence. Bergstrom-Lynch campaigned for donations to support the organization.

"Thanks to the generosity of my friends, family, Eastern colleagues and alumni, I raised $3,460 this year," said Bergstrom-Lynch, who exceeded her original fundraising goal.

Over the years, Bergstrom-Lynch has raised a total of $27,760 for Safe Passage in Wiley's memory. While participating, she wears a white ribbon with the names of everyone who supports her efforts. "If you ever visit my office, you'll see all my ribbons tacked to my bulletin board," she said.

Bergstrom-Lynch's daughters, Zora and Maia, enjoy hot chocolate after the run.

"There is a 5K run and a 3K walk," said Bergstrom-Lynch, who walked the 3K this year with her wife and children. The event drew more than 5,000 participants and raised more than $800,000 for Safe Passage.

"For the first 10 years, I ran the 5K -- some years faster than others -- and this year and last year I've walked it, always with Alyssiah and other survivors in mind," she said, adding that she plans to continue participating as long as she is able.

Safe Passage helps individuals and families rebuild their lives after domestic violence. Additional resources for victims of relationship violence include Eastern's Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Response Team (SAIV-RT) and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV). CCADV can be contacted through its website at www.ctcadv.org or via its 24/7 hotline at (888) 774-2900.

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