Participants in this year’s Walk For Warmth, held Saturday, February 14 at City On A Hill in Zeeland, represented 13 different schools from all over Ottawa County. Of the approximately 180 walkers, most were students.

Zeeland High School Spanish III and IV classes raised a record number of pledges this year. The ZHS contingent led by Spanish teacher, Becky Purnell, raised over $3400, and provided nearly half of the number of walkers.

Coopersville High School was well represented this year. Student Krystal Wilson was the winner of the regional Walk For Warmth poster contest. The school also held its own fundraising efforts and raised $500 towards the Walk For Warmth.

West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics located in Ferrysburg, held its own Walk For Warmth on Friday, February 6 on its grounds. Each student brought in one dollar “and the students had their name put on a paper footprint,” says Rachel Fetterley, Instructor. “We had footprints all over the school!” At an appointed time during the day, the entire school walked around the soccer field as its Walk For Warmth. WMAAA raised over $260.

Alec Gilbert, student at Grand Valley State University and member of Alpha Pi Omega, a service-oriented organization, called Walk For Warmth organizers at Community Action Agency and asked how his group could contribute. CAA staff needed help with registration so Alec sent over four volunteers from GVSU! Also UBS the GVSU book store provided the bags for the handouts that walkers received upon registration. Additionally, GVSU students and faculty attended the walk.

Grand Rapids Community College sent several faculty members as well students. GRCC donated $500 to the Walk this year.

Davenport University took a number of pledges on its campus and raised almost $300 and provided several walkers for the event.

In addition to these schools other students represented Hudsonville High School, West Ottawa High School, Peach Plains Elementary, Hamilton High School, Hope College, South Christian School, Woodbridge and a family of home schoolers.

“We have two primary goals each year for the Walk,” says Mark Kornelis, Program Manager for Ottawa County Community Action Agency, “the first obviously is to raise money towards keeping the utilities turned on in peoples’ homes throughout the county. The other is to raise awareness of who CAA is and what we do. I think we exceeded expectations for both goals this year. The school participation was phenomenal. We’re grateful to everyone in the schools who spread the word of this event and we look forward to having at least this level of school participation next year, if not higher.”

The Walk For Warmth raised about $6,000 on the day of the event, and over $21,000 including corpo-rate sponsorships.