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Highmark Walk: ‘Make a difference one step at a time’

  • Britta Lee, Regional Content Editor

gettingready
GETTING READY—Above: the YWCA team getting ready to walk in the rain. (Photos by J.L. Martello)

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community is an annual fundraising walk that benefits local health and human service agencies. The primary goal of the walk is to help participating organizations raise money for their individual missions.
There were similar walks in Erie, Johnstown, Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Del. All locations featured a 5K Walk beginning at 9 am and a one-mile Walk starting at 9:15 am.
Events are held in May and June each year.
Highmark Inc. coordinates and underwrites the cost of the walk so that 100 percent of the money raised by walkers goes to the participating nonprofits.
The primary goal of the walk was to help participating organizations raise money for their individual missions. The secondary goal of the walk was to energize community members to have a greater hand in their health by becoming or staying physically active.
The inaugural Walk for a Healthy Community took place in Pittsburgh, in 2003, and raised more than $25,000 for eight nonprofit organizations. Additional walks have since been added through 2015, the events have raised more than $9 million for more than 250 nonprofits across the states.
 
HELPING THE CAUSE—Shanon Williams from the North Side and Andrea Stanford from Friendship.
HELPING THE CAUSE—Shanon Williams from the North Side and Andrea Stanford from Friendship.

 
 
MOTIVATORS—Keeping everyone in a good mood and motivating walkers are Monique McCoy and Sapphire Mason clapping and dancing to the music.
MOTIVATORS—Keeping everyone in a good mood and motivating walkers are Monique McCoy and Sapphire Mason clapping and dancing to the music.

 
 
MOUNT ARARAT—Members of the Mount Ararat Church in East Liberty come out in support of the Highmark Health Walk.
MOUNT ARARAT—Members of the Mount Ararat Church in East Liberty come out in support of the Highmark Health Walk.

 
 
NORTH SIDE—Kienna Johnson from the North Side, Trudy Johnson from the North Side, Brandi Mikulan and the kids 5-year-old Julius Ghafoor, 9-year-old Arianna Ghafoor, and 7-year-old Shawn Ghafoor.
NORTH SIDE—Kienna Johnson from the North Side, Trudy Johnson from the North Side, Brandi Mikulan and the kids 5-year-old Julius Ghafoor, 9-year-old Arianna Ghafoor, and 7-year-old Shawn Ghafoor.

 
 
REPRESENTING THE HILL—Robin Scott from the Hill, Runa Lester from the Hill, and Sheila Gilmore from the Hill are walking in the Highmark Health Walk.
REPRESENTING THE HILL—Robin Scott from the Hill, Runa Lester from the Hill, and Sheila Gilmore from the Hill are walking in the Highmark Health Walk.

 
 
SICKLE CELL—Rev. William Hill and Sherdina Hill supporting the Sickle Cell community and the Highmark Health Walk
SICKLE CELL—Rev. William Hill and Sherdina Hill supporting the Sickle Cell community and the Highmark Health Walk

 
 
SMALL SEEDS—From left: Sylvia Wilson, Patricia Cheeseboro, Andrew Cheeseboro, Brittany Tonet, and Levi Tonet with small seeds.
SMALL SEEDS—From left: Sylvia Wilson, Patricia Cheeseboro, Andrew Cheeseboro, Brittany Tonet, and Levi Tonet with small seeds.

 
 
VOLUNTEERS—Cheryl Williams from Garfield and Tonya Cunningham from Downtown help pass out shirts to the walkers.
VOLUNTEERS—Cheryl Williams from Garfield and Tonya Cunningham from Downtown help pass out shirts to the walkers.

 
 
VOLUNTEERS—Charita Farris from Millvale, Rita Charles from Wilkinsburg, Leslie Preston from Brighton Heights and Consweoa Hill from the North Side are volunteering at the Highmark walk.
VOLUNTEERS—Charita Farris from Millvale, Rita Charles from Wilkinsburg, Leslie Preston from Brighton Heights and Consweoa Hill from the North Side are volunteering at the Highmark walk.

 
 
THERE’S NO STOPPING THEM—Thousands of people fight the rain to walk in the Highmark Health Walk.
THERE’S NO STOPPING THEM—Thousands of people fight the rain to walk in the Highmark Health Walk.

 
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Britta Lee, Regional Content Editor

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