Pathlights Hosts First Annual AgeWell Community Walk

Palos Heights, IL – There are walks, seemingly, for just about everything. “There are walks for cancer, for rare diseases, for pets, but there’s not a lot out there that just focus on aging,” says Karen Young. “The simple fact is that aging is a journey that everyone goes on, and there’s many different things you encounter along the way.”

Young is the Manager of Corporate Partnerships for Pathlights in Palos Heights. The organization provides services and resources to help older adults, their families and their caregivers along the journey. “Pathlights walks alongside older adults and their caregivers, supporting them, so we thought it befitting that we host an annual walk to build community, bring generations together and fundraise to help sustain the services and programs we offer.”

The AgeWell Community Walk will kick off on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 10 am at the Oak Lawn Park District Community Pavilion, located at 9401 S. Oak Park Avenue in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Because Pathlights has programs not only for older adults and caregivers, but also for older adults raising young children, this is an intergenerational event – and it’s not just about walking together. “There’s going to be activities for the kids and activities that older adults and kids can engage in together. There will be face-painting, crafts, sports, chair yoga and sing-alongs. It’s going to be a fun-filled day with food, music and raffles,” Young said.

Elaine Grande, Executive Director at Pathlights, noted, “This walk is about more than just one day or one event. It’s about recognizing the roles that all of us play in creating a community where older adults and caregivers know they are not alone and where the natural process of aging is met with kindness, understanding, compassion and support.”

“Walking is not required, and the half-mile path is wide enough for walkers, wheelchairs and mobility assists. Everyone can go at their own pace, taking advantage of the benches along the walk for a respite when needed,” Young says.

With a focus on healthy aging, the event’s Presenting Sponsor is OSF CompleteCare 55+, which stresses preventative care and health condition management. Pathlights’ community partners, and over twenty-one other sponsors will be bringing information about the resources available throughout Bremen, Lemont, Orland, Palos, Rich and Worth townships.

Young urges community members to form teams of participants to tap into a communal spirit of fundraising and having fun. “We have some really nice incentives for teams who set and meet goals by asking their friends, family, local businesses, coworkers and neighbors to donate to their team fund. Through this community and team support and our sponsors, we hope to reach our overall goal of $75,000,” Young says. These funds are increasingly critical as federal support continues to shift and rising costs strain both Pathlights’ operations and the older adults it serves. For individuals on fixed incomes, inflation makes everyday expenses harder to manage and makes Pathlights’ services even more necessary.

“There’s a whole lot of people out there who don’t know what we do, so we are also really working to build community awareness of all that Pathlights offers,” says Young. “When difficult situations happen during the aging journey, many people don’t know where to start. Pathlights is here for everyone, to provide programs for the community, to help older adults and their caregivers. We really want people to be aware of the organization and the help we can offer.”

At the event, visitors and participants will find information about home-delivered meals and in-home services, caregiver support groups, adult protective services and memory gatherings, technology and estate planning seminars and financial and benefits advocacy, all helping older adults stay in their homes as long and as safely as possible.

Registration is now open for the AgeWell Walk. Until June 30, the early bird registration fee for adults is $20, for children ages 6-13 the fee is $10, and children 5 and under are free. Information, details, registration and donation opportunities are available at pathlights.org/agewellwalk. Young says even if you can’t walk that day, you can still attend the event, donate, or share on social media.

Grande says, “We invite everyone to join us in our shared commitment to this mission – and in our passion for helping everyone age well at every stage of the journey.”

Young says, “Walking is one of the most natural exercises you can do. It’s beneficial for your muscles, your cardiovascular system and weight management. Walking outside is shown to calm you, help you focus, and center your mind. When you walk with another person and engage in conversation, you don’t even feel like you’re exercising. When you walk with us on September 12, you’ll also be helping Pathlights guide older adults along their own path through aging with compassion, dignity and safety.”

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