Ballston Spa Finds Unique Way to Highlight Missing Persons

The pandemic has put many events on hold but it won't stop the awareness of those who are missing in the Capital Region and New York State. Specifically in Ballston Spa where they have gotten creative to make the community aware of the missing persons that they continue to look for. The hope is that these families reunite with their missing loved ones.

According to the Troy Record, the 20th annual gathering to honor New York State Missing Persons Day had to be canceled because of the coronavirus but that didn't stop the Center for HOPE (Healing Our Painful Emotions) from highlighting those who are still missing. The director of the Ballston Spa non-profit, Mary Lyall, says doing something to keep those missing top of mind is essential. Her nineteen-year-old daughter Suzanne went missing in 1998 from Ballston Spa. Mary was motivated to start the Center For Hope to not only try and find her daughter but to help all of those who have loved ones still missing.

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Mary and her husband Doug helped to make April 6th New York state's official Missing Persons Day which is also their missing daughter, Suzanne's birthday. They came up with an idea since they couldn't gather, to put up missing banners on lamp posts in Ballston Spa. There are more than a dozen banners of unsolved missing persons along Front Street and Milton Avenue.

Mary Lyall told Spectrum News,

I just hope that someday, we’re going to have some resolve for some of these families.

She is hoping she can have some resolve too.

For more information about The Center for HOPE, you can call 518-884-8761 or click HERE.