Students from Evans City middle and elementary school release balloons during the grand opening of the Highmark Caring Place on Friday May 8, 2009, in Warrendale. Butler Eagle File Photo

A cloud of 200 red balloons that disappeared into the low ceiling of gray clouds Friday morning, May 8, 2009, marked the grand opening of a place where grieving children heal.

Highmark Caring Place on Warrendale-Bayne Road, a center for grieving children and adolescents and their families, hosted a grand opening kicked off by former Steelers running back Merrill Hoge.

Terese Vorsheck, Highmark Caring Place’s director at the time, said the new facility would offer peer support to grieving children and adults, referral services, adult telephone support, and educational programs and resources for grieving families.