FeedsWalk for Hope planned in Wayne
The Outreach Center at St. Mary’s Catholic Church is reaching out once again.
The facility, which serves the needs of the underprivileged throughout Wayne County is changing its focus for an upcoming fundraiser with a Walk for Hope scheduled to benefit the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, according to Shelli Jump, director of the Outreach Center.
“I participate in two or three ‘walks’ every year; it’s one of my passions,” she said. “I was surprised that the City of Wayne didn’t have one.”
Jump said she wanted to change that and use the visibility of the largest event in the city to give it a good send off. The event, then, is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 26 at Goudy Park—during the middle of the annual Wheelfest.
The event is set up as either a 1-mile or a 3-mile walk along the trails in Goudy Park. Believe it or not, two laps around the park equals a mile, Jump said.
“It won’t take long at all,” she said. “It’s a nice, shady route, so it will be nice. It’s pretty too.”
Anyone interested can pick up applications and pledge forms at the St. Mary Outreach Center on Sims Avenue and Second Street at the nearby church office or at the Wayne Parks and Recreation Center at Howe and Annapolis roads. Pre-registration is suggested by Aug. 18, but those who want to join up later than that can bring their forms to the park the day of the event.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m., she said, and the official welcome will happen at 10 a.m. The walk will get under way at 10:15.
Jump said she hopes to bring in $5,000 for the inaugural event, which will be given directly to the institute.
“We can earmark that it goes to either research or outreach programs,” she said. “We’ll be earmarking it for outreach. It brings my two worlds together.”
She said she hopes for a good response to the first-time event, which is why she’s working with the city to bring it to town during the Wheelfest. She’d like to see it continue and grow, though.
“We’re keeping it simple this year,” she said. “We be able to grow it from there.”
