It’s a given that getting students up and out of bed on a cold, weekend afternoon is hard to say the least. Having them walk over three miles once they’re up doesn’t make it any easier.
But on Sunday over 100 students and members of the community came out for the annual Thurtene Walk-a-thon fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting this year’s selected Thurtene charity, the Epworth Family Center, which helps children with emotional problems.
“The [walk-a-thon] has been much more successful this year then previous years,” said junior Surinder Aggarwal, a member of Thurtene and organizer of Sunday’s event. “The whole idea is for schools to come out and walk with college students.”
Walking 13 laps around historic Francis Field with the accompaniment of music from The Amateurs, the students who walked mostly came and talked in groups, but made sure they didn’t lose sight of whom the event was for.
“It’s for the children, baby,” said sophomore walker Steve Parsons. “It’s for the children.”
Walkers could sign up either individually, in which they raised money through sponsorships and donations, or as a group, where they raised money by paying a $35 group fee.
According to Aggarwal, Thurtene sent students living on campus letters telling them about the fundraiser, and how to get involved.
That’s how senior Andrea Clements found out about the event.
“This is the first time I’ve done [the walk-a-thon],” said Clements, who raised over $160 for the charity walk, along with her friend senior Michelle Lemke, who walked with her.
“It was a good time,” said Clements after her 13 laps were finished. “It gave us a chance to talk, get fresh air, and push off studying for a few hours. And it was for a good cause.”
Lemke agreed, but said that the student-dominated event would have been better in her mind if more children had been walking in it.
Only a handful of children and community members participated in the walk, which was technically co-sponsored by the University City public schools.
Jermaine Benjamin, a kindergartner at Flynn Park Elementary, was one of the children who participated. He and Kelly Allen were having a good time taking their time to walk the 13 laps.
The slow pace didn’t worry the organizers.
“However long it takes, we’ll be out here,” said Aggarwal with a smile. “We’ve got free Powerade.”
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