Walkathon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A walkathon (walk-a-thon), or walking marathon is a type of school/community fundraiser where participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course. They are similar in format to other activity based fundraising events such as marathons and cycling races, but are usually non-competitive and low intensity. The low intensity model is ideal for mobilizing broad-based community support for, and as a result Walkathons usually target participants from a wide range of ages and economic backgrounds.
Walkathons are popular fundraisers for issues that affect large sections of the population. Most commonly, Walkathons focus on fighting or curing pervasive diseases or ailments such as AIDS, Cancer, Diabetes, Lupus, and Arthritis, and participation is also often promoted as a symbol of empowerment, remembrance, or awareness of sufferers and their relations.
Notable walkathons include:
- AIDS Walk
- Breast Cancer 3Day
- WalkAmerica
- MS Challenge Walk
[edit] Etymology
1930s: from walk + marathon.
