Be Mine! Candy Hearts Plus Walk For Warmth Equals Sweet Success

The City of Zeeland on Valentine’s Day was host to a very successful fund-raising event called The Walk For Warmth. The Walk was held at City On A Hill Ministries where approximately 180 people representing 12 towns, 13 schools and 16 companies, as well as families coming to walk and contribute, brought in over $6,000 to bolster Ottawa County Community Action Agency’s Utilities Assistance Fund. Including corporate sponsorships the 2009 Walk For Warmth raised a total of $21,000.

The Spanish III and IV classes from Zeeland High School alone brought in more than $3400 in pledges. Each year Spanish teacher, Becky Purnell, asks her students if they wish to participate in the Walk. Her classes comprised nearly half of the walkers with 84 Zeeland High School students registering.

Other schools participating were Coopersville High School which raised $500, and Ferrysburg’s West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics held its own Walk for Warmth Friday, February 6 and raised $264.

“We are very pleased with these numbers,” says William Raymond, Executive Director of Community Action Agency. “More people came to walk this year than last, and the money raised on Saturday beat last year by over two thousand dollars. In this economy the fact that people have shown such compassion, empathy and support is overwhelming.”

“Thinking visually the money raised just from the Walk will pay for the utilities of roughly three city blocks worth of homes,” says Mark Kornelis, Program Manager, Community Action Agency, “That’s about one hundred to one hundred and twenty five homes that the funds raised from the Walk will keep heated and lighted. And we cover the entire county of Ottawa, from Harrisburg through Grand Haven, Allendale and Holland/Zeeland. The money from the Walk will help us tremendously.”

Senator Wayne Kuipers at the Walk said, “It never ceases to amaze the number of people willing to get up early on a Saturday morning to come help out a worthwhile organization like Community Action for a great cause like the Walk For Warmth. The people of West Michigan really pull together to help each other out.”

“In times as tough as these it reaffirms the idea that people are there for each other. The businesses this year have been extremely generous as well, and we’re very grateful,” says Raymond. “The community of Ottawa County becomes tightly knit when times get tough, and right now times are pretty tough. West Michigan is a bright spot in the state and it’s due to the generosity of the people here.”

The Walk For Warmth Valentine’s Day event raised about $6,000 and a total of $21,000 including corporate sponsorships. Approximately 180 people walked for warmth two miles around downtown Zeeland. City On A Hill representatives were very pleased to host the event and organizers from Community Action Agency are excited to hold the Walk there again next year.