It’s incredible how things come full circle in life. It could be reconnecting with an old friend or a family member after years have gone by and having a chance to catch up on all the latest news in their lives or it could even be the change of seasons that makes us think about the year before and what may be in store in the year ahead. The fall season is my personal favorite. With its colorful beauty, cooler nights, and shorter days, fall is an opportunity to take action as we prepare for the winter season ahead. From Falls Prevention Month this past September to Fire Prevention Week (October 5-11), these are all gentle reminders of some of the many positive steps that we can all take in leading stronger, safer lives.
Speaking of steps, I would be remiss if I did not mention our upcoming Walkathon happening on Saturday, October 18, at the Franklin County Fairgrounds starting at 10 a.m. (registration and check-in starts at 9:30 a.m.). Come enjoy all that the fall season has to offer. Get your fill of the colorful foliage, pumpkins, hot apple cider, and of course, donuts and popcorn. Bring your friends, family, and neighbors as you enjoy a day at the fairgrounds. Start with our Walkathon event starting at 10 a.m. then make your way over to the Fall Food Festival and Car Show right next to us, beginning at 12 p.m.
Funds raised through the Walkathon go to support LifePath’s Meals on Wheels program, as well as other essential programs. Collectively, LifePath supports over 10,000 individuals on a yearly basis through a large variety of different programs throughout Franklin County, the North Quabbin region, and parts of Berkshire, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties.
As federal support for such programs seems to be decreasing drastically, your support is needed now more than ever to keep our programs going. Our Meals on Wheels program in particular plays an essential role in the community, making sure that people have a warm meal each day. It also provides a wonderful opportunity to do a welfare check and to see how things are going. This positive exchange helps to build a caring and supportive rapport that people can rely on, while helping individuals to feel more confident and secure in their own homes.
We understand that the fall season can be a busy time on so many levels. So you say you can’t make it on October 18: Good news! NEW THIS YEAR we are encouraging people to hold their own mini-walkathons with family and friends right in your own neighborhoods. We recognize that people have busy schedules and we want to make it as easy as possible for people to participate in supporting our programs.
You pick the date, time, location, goal, etc. Have fun with it! Get creative! Maybe have a gathering with food afterwards. It’s totally up to you. You can even use our pledge forms for your convenience, located on our website. We would love to see pictures of your event too, so we can share them. If you are interested, please visit the Walkathon webpage and click on the “Doing My Own Walkathon” button to learn more.
Below are a number of different ways that YOU can support LifePath through the Walkathon:
1) You can choose from a variety of different sponsorship opportunities. The brochure is available on our Walkathon webpage.
2) You can create your own walking team and each team member can collect donations from those they know in support of LifePath. There’s two ways to get started:
Option #1: Keep it simple and download a paper version of the donation form directly from our website at the link above. There you can print out a copy for yourself and share the form with those you know. Money raised can be turned in on the day of the event, if you are walking on Saturday, October 18.
Option #2: Create an online fundraising walking team. Using the link above, click on the “Individual Walker/Team Leader Sign Up” button. Once you sign up and complete your setup, send an email to jofarrell@lifepathma.org to let us know that you signed up. We can then send you your personalized fundraising page link that you can share with those you know. This way, people can make donations directly online using your link and their gifts will automatically be credited to your team’s total.
3) NEW THIS YEAR! – Hold Your Own Mini Walkathon with Friends, Family, and Neighbors. You pick the date, time, location, and length, etc. Have fun with it! Get creative! Go ahead and use our pledge forms for your convenience. They can be downloaded from our website using the link above. We would love to see pictures of your event too, so we can share them on our website. Please take a moment to complete the special registration form and email it to jofarrell@lifepathma.org so we can add your event to the schedule.
4) If you or someone you know can’t make it to the event, but would still like to support LifePath, please visit our website to make a secure, online donation, or if you prefer, you can simply mail in your donation to: LifePath, 101 Munson Street, Suite 201, Greenfield, MA 01301.
As we come full circle on our upcoming Walkathon on Saturday, October 18, it cannot be emphasized enough the enormous impact that people can collectively have when they put their best foot forward in helping to make a positive difference in their local communities. It’s a powerful chance to help others, to make someone’s day a little brighter, and to make our community as a whole a little stronger. Simple acts of kindness each day can make a world of difference in peoples’ lives. And it’s all made possible by people stepping forward, choosing to give their time by volunteering, supporting their favorite causes financially, or simply by checking in on their neighbor to see how things are going. Our actions don’t have to be big to have a huge impact, but when we all work together we can make great things happen, one step at a time.
