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Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs has his new running shoes all laced up in preparation for the 12th annual RBC Royal Bank Mayor's Walk.
The event was announced Thursday morning at city hall.
Sandi Boucher, executive director of Volunteer Thunder Bay, said the event demonstrates just how important volunteering is in the community.
“Volunteerism in Thunder Bay is huge,” she said. “Our non-profits count on it.”
The Mayor's Walk provides the community a chance to raise money through pledges for a non-profit organization of their choice. Boucher said Volunteer Thunder Bay works to support other non-profit organizations in the city, and the Mayor's Walk does just that.
“It's a chance to get the community together and have everyday people who are wondering how they can support their agency, come out, enjoy some exercise and direct where the funds are going to go,” she said. “So rather than the money being put in a huge pot and we decide, you get to decide which agency you support.”
Boucher added that money raised can be in support of a child's sports team, a church group, a cancer organization — whatever the individual chooses.
This year also includes five challenges: individual, agency, school, Aboriginal and executive director. Whoever raises the most pledges in each category will receive 75 per cent of the funds for the organization of their choice rather than the standard 60 per cent.
Hobbs participated in the event last year, and even though he is the mayor of the city this time around, the meaning remains the same.
“This is a great city for volunteerism,” he said. “There are so many volunteers out there and so many emotional volunteers. Not many of them realize what an impact they make on a community and it's events like this that drive that message home.”
Boucher added that the dynamic of volunteering has been changing in the city of Thunder Bay.
“There were always the people who want to give back, but now with some economic challenges, we are seeing volunteers come out to learn new skills, to get into a new agency, or start on a new career path,” she said.
The Mayor's Walk takes place on May 14 at the Current River Community Centre, with two-kilometre and five-kilometre routes offered. Check in starts at 9:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10:30 a.m. Pledge forms are available at Volunteer Thunder Bay, any RBC Royal Bank branch.