BOLINGBROOK – Maple Park resident Sue Olsen was in Bolingbrook on Tuesday, not only to spread the word about her missing son, Bradley P. Olsen, but to help others as well.

Bradley Olsen was 27 years old when he disappeared on Jan. 20, 2007. He went from his parents’ home in Maple Park to Bar One, 1000 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, but never returned. Several searches by hundreds of volunteers in the DeKalb area failed to turn up any information.

But working with others who are missing loved ones helps, Sue Olsen said.

“We always backed each other and supported each other,” she said. “I’ve been on many, many searches for all of these people.”

The search for missing loved ones has not ended for almost a dozen people who rallied Tuesday in Bolingbrook to spread awareness and gather more leads as part of a nationwide effort for CUE Center's annual "On the Road to Remember" Missing Persons Tour.

The nonprofit organization holds the national tour to raise awareness of missing people whose disappearance stories have not received enough publicity on the local or national level, according to their website.

They gathered under a tent decorated with images of missing people, including the familiar image of Bradley Olsen that can be seen on streets around the DeKalb, Sycamore and Maple Park areas, years after his disappearance.

The tent was next to tree at Wipfler Park that was planted in memory of Rachel Marie Mellon Skemp of Bolingbrook, who went missing Jan. 31, 1996.

The gathering was hosted by Skemp’s family. Skemp, who was born in 1982, disappeared from her home.

Her uncle, Al Schuch, said the gathering was important to get the word out and encourage people to ask more questions about those who went missing like Skemp.

“I think that people asking questions is more important than ‘Facebooking,’ ” he said.

Missouri resident Dave Sullivan also was at the event to help. He said he helped Will County law enforcement and emergency management agencies search for Stacy Peterson when she went missing in 2007.

The CUE Center’s tours attract people who have information about people who went missing, Sullivan said.

“By doing this, like this, you get a lot of publicity,” he said.

In honor of those who disappeared, people at Tuesday’s event tied fliers to white and purple balloons. Purple was Skemp’s favorite color. The balloons were released into the cloudy sky.

Schuch was one of those who released his own balloon.

“I know it’s a cliché, but I really want answers,” Schuch said. “We still hope, that maybe, we’ll find her remains.”