A memorial was held Tuesday night in Butler to celebrate the life a local 4-year-old boy who died earlier this year.
Jamie Goehring is one of the organizers of Bentley’s Army, which is a nonprofit formed to honor and remember Bentley Miller. He died in March following suspected child abuse.
People gathered in Butler Memorial Park to release balloons and paper lanterns. Yesterday would have been Bentley’s 5th birthday.
Funds raised last night from the sale of the lanterns will support a revitalization project at Butler Memorial Park in Bentley’s name. Bentley’s Army, the Butler AM Rotary and AK Cares (which is a nonprofit of AK Steel) have been working on the project. So far, $18,000 has been raised.
Goehring said the group seeks to provide advocacy, prevention and education in our community in regards to child abuse. Construction on a new playground at Butler Memorial Park is expected to being in the spring.
