GREENFIELD — Just as in years past, LifePath will be holding its annual walk-athon. Only this year, it’ll be a little different.
The walk, typically held at LifePath headquarters on Munson Street, will be held virtually on Saturday, May 2, at 9 a.m.
“This is the first time we’ll be attempting, really, anything like this,” said Carol Foote, development director at LifePath, which provides and coordinates services to support the independent living of seniors and people with disabilities. “We’re trying to keep it simple … but we want to create something meaningful.”
Leading up to the “walk” on May 2 — a day during which participants are encouraged to go for a walk, take a photo and share it on social media with the hashtag #lifepathvirtualwalkathon2020 — LifePath will collect footage of teams and individuals on walks.
“What we’re planning to do is create a video experience,” Foote said. “We’re asking for content from walkers and fundraisers and sponsors. … We’re putting that call out in a number of different ways.”
She said walk-athon organizers have used social media, emailing and other platforms looking for groups and individuals who are comfortable sharing videos of themselves walking. The idea, she said, is to keep the same sense of community alive as what is felt during a regular walk-athon.
Recently, she met up with the Warwick Walkers, a group of Warwick residents who walk together a couple times a week — only now, in a socially distant manner.
The video of the Warwick Walkers and others will be compiled and included in a video presentation that the nonprofit will present virtually at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Those who wish to be part of the video, or provide content, and those who wish to receive a link to view it on Saturday should send an email with the desired email address to giving@lifepathma.org.
Foote encourages anyone interested in participating to practice safe habits, such as social distancing.
Although the walk-athon — now in its 28th year — generally funds programs like Meals on Wheels, the fundraising will shift from only supporting that program to supporting all the under-funded programming at LifePath, according to Foote.
“That has been a good shift for us, especially where COVID-19 has come into play and created more expenses and complications for providing support in the home,” she explained.
Those extra expenses happen to still be part of the nutrition program, she added, as new precautions are required of drivers who drop off meals.
Foote said that, given concerns over COVID-19, conversations began happening early on regarding how to proceed with the walk-athon, which usually draws an attendance of around 200 participants. As one of the main fundraising events of the year, she said organizers viewed their choice as being between postponing the event or offering it in a different format. Cancellation wasn’t something LifePath wanted to consider.
“We just don’t know what to expect,” she said. “We’re just trying to put something forward that’s meaningful and with gratitude to those who are engaged this year, our agency and those we serve.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263.