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Town of Andover Unites to Honor Former Resident Colleen Ritzer

Over 4,000 people streamed into Andover’s Cochran Bird Sanctuary as they participated in the Step Up for Colleen 5K Benefit Run/Walk fundraiser last Sunday. A group of Andover students, faculty and staff joined in on the fundraising effort, including Belinda Traub, Administrative Assistant in the Head of School Office, and Stephanie Donovan, Benefits Specialist and Wellness Program Coordinator. The event was in honor of Colleen Ritzer, a former resident in the town of Andover and math teacher at Danvers High School who was tragically killed last October. A group of Ritzer’s family and friends, who organized the race, contacted Public Safety to see if they could use Andover’s campus as part of the race route, according to Thomas Conlon, Director of Public Safety. “I believe the values of this school related to part of the run/walk taking place on campus. Given the fact that she was a teacher, a local girl from Andover, a local young lady and just that the event was such a tragic event, I thought it was very gracious of [the Senior Administrative Council] to be able to say yes to provide a place for this event,” said Conlon. Money raised from the run/walk will go towards the Colleen Ritzer Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established by Ritzer’s family to support Seniors attending Andover High School or Danvers High School.