Community Fitness & Education invites schools, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations to host Walk-A-Thons in conjunction with this year’s program. While Walk-A-Thons primarily engage children, young people, and adults connected to the schools or organizations may register and participate.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to host a Walk-A-Thon, a group must:
- Be an elementary, middle, or junior high school, a community-based organization, or a faith-based organization.
- Have an adult coordinator who will act as the Help the Walk-A-Thon liaison and information contact person.
- Hold the Walk-A-Thon under the group’s supervision and on its property between September 8 and November 7.
- Present a Walk-A-Thon program that is at least 30 minutes long, with at least 15 minutes consisting of some form of physical activity for all able-bodied participants (e.g., a predetermined walk route or planned activities during physical education classes).
Participating beneficiary organizations are encouraged and expected to engage students in educational presentations to raise their awareness about physical fitness.
Registration Requirements
- The youth registration fee is $15. The adult registration fee is $25.
- Each walker must complete a Walk-A-Thon registration form. Youth under 18 years of age must have the form signed by a parent/legal guardian. Teachers, staff, and other organization administrators are not permitted to sign students’ registration forms as guardians. Student forms submitted without parent/guardian signatures or full payment will be counted as unregistered walkers and will not count toward the walker incentive.
- Any youth/adult who is associated with the beneficiary organization may participate in the Walk-A-Thon. But only youth/adults who pay the $15/$25 registration fee will receive a CFEI Walk-A-Thon T-shirt.
- Youth/adults who cannot afford to pay the entire registration fee, but would like to purchase a T-shirt, may purchase a shirt for $5. These walkers may participate a Walk-A-Thon, but their participation will not be counted toward the walker incentive for the beneficiary organizations. However, their participation will count toward the organization’s Youth Engagement Awards activities if the organization chooses to submit an application.
Walk-A-Thon Process
- A minimum of two weeks before the Walk-A-Thon date, the organization’s Walk-A-Thon coordinator must register its Walk-A-Thon by returning the Walk-A-Thon commitment form to the Help the Children Walk-A-Thon counselor. However, organizations are encouraged to register their Walk-A-Thon as soon as possible; the Help the Children program counselor will be prepared to begin working with Walk-A-Thon coordinators during the summer. The earlier a Walk-A-Thon is registered, the more opportunity there will be to plan meaningful walks and educational presentations.
- The final date to register a Walk-A-Thon is October 24, 2005.
- A Help the Children program counselor will be assigned to each Walk to assist the organization’s contact person with Walk-A-Thon logistics and/or to answer any questions.
- Once the commitment form is received, the Help the Children program counselor will send the Walk-A-Thon contact a packet consisting of a T-shirt order form, education toolkit, and the organization contact information shown on the commitment form.
- The Help the Children program counselor will notify any Physical Fitness service beneficiary organizations when a school designates them to receive its Walk-A-Thon funds.
- All registration forms, fees, and additional funds collected by walkers are due to the Help the Children program counselor at least 10 business days before the Walk-A-Thon so that T-shirts can be delivered in time. Arrangements may be made through the Help the Children program counselor to have T-shirts picked up after the Walk-A-Thon date. No T-shirts will be given until all registration funds are received.
- Within 10 business days after the Walk-A-Thon, Walk-A-Thon coordinators must turn in any and all funds not previously submitted to the Help the Children program counselor. If funds for walkers are not returned to the Help the Children program counselor within 10 business days, those walkers cannot be applied to the organization’s walker incentive.
- Beneficiary organizations may help faith-based organizations and schools they partner with to collect Walk-A-Thon registration forms and funds. However, the Walk-A-Thon host organization must turn in all forms and funds directly to the Help the Children program counselor.
- Only original Help the Children program forms created by the Community Fitness and Education will be accepted. Beneficiary organizations are not permitted to recreate and submit Help the Children program forms. All customized forms will be disqualified. Photocopies of original Help the Chrildren program forms are acceptable.
Walker Incentive Guidelines
Each beneficiary organization that recruits adults and youth who pay the registration fee and participate in the Walk-A-Thon is eligible to receive up to $25,000 in incentive awards.
- For 100–249 walkers, organization receives $2,000
- For 250–499 walkers, organization receives $5,000
- For 500–749 walkers, organization receives $10,000
- For 750–999 walkers, organization receives $15,000
- For 1,000–1,249 walkers, organization receives $20,000
- For 1,250+ walkers, organization receives $25,000
Any organization providing false or misleading information regarding the number of walkers participating on its behalf will be disqualified from receiving incentive funds (i.e., youth engagement, walker, and partner incentives) and may be disqualified from future Help the Children program activities, at the Community Fitness & Education’s sole discretion.