Easterseals DC MD VA Walk With Me Raises $20,000

Silver Spring, MD — Easterseals DC MD VA inaugural Walk With Me on Saturday, October 22 at the National Harbor Waterfront raised nearly $20,000, with fundraising continuing through the end of November.

The event was the first-ever Walk With Me for the Easterseals affiliate serving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Walk With Me is a signature Easterseals walkathon with over 230,000 people joining Easterseals affiliates nationwide in 615 walks since 2003.

The event raised awareness about Easterseals’ services for children, adults, military, and low-income families. Since 1945, Easterseals DC MD VA has empowered people of all ages and abilities with access to healthcare, education, and employment.

“This is our very first Walk With Me event and we are so grateful to all our supporters for joining us. We are especially happy to be at National Harbor, which is such a vital and exciting part of Prince George’s County,” says Jon Horowitch, President and CEO of Easterseals DC MD VA. “We already have a fantastic Child Development Center in College Park, as well as Head Start programs for children in Camp Springs and District Heights. And we have plans to open a community mental health clinic in Prince George’s to help fill a critical need here for family support. We couldn’t do any of it without the community’s support.”

True to Easterseals vision of an inclusive community, the nearly 5K route included ADA-compliant accommodations and a 1-mile option for walkers of all abilities. This fully accessible event welcomed in-person participants including those with wheelchairs or strollers. Even a few canine companions came to show their support.

This year’s sponsors were Cigna, Capitol Office Solutions, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Window Nation, Comcast, and RadioOne.

“At Cigna, we are committed to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of the people we serve in the communities where we live, work and play. We recognize the importance of whole person health, and getting together with friends and family to enjoy a day of fun and fitness is a great way to improve health — body and mind,” says Andrew Burke, Field Marketing Manager for the Mid-Atlantic. “That’s why we are proud to once again sponsor Easterseals and their Walk With Me 5K that brings our community together and promotes healthy living.”

In attendance was the Scully-DeBatt family, serving as Honorary Ambassadors, who found help and hope as a result of partnering with Easterseals.

DJ Flava kept the event rolling with lively music to pump up walkers. Bananas, granola bars, and bottled water were donated by Wegmans. Eat the Change brought plant-based snacks and ice tea samples to share. Two princesses and a superhero came for hugs, pictures, and a performance, care of Princess Parties DC. Families got creative at the face painting table and coloring book stations. For those looking to stay healthy this season, flu shots and COVID shots administered by Safeway were also available.

The 2022 Walk With Me Committee was chaired by Erika Owens with the executive leadership of members Bella Alarie, Christine Ash, Abby Cikanovich, Mikaela Ober Schuster, Josh Sandler, Veronica Santos-Mazzuchi, Megan Scully, MG Linda Singh, James Smith, Tiffany Taber, Carol Watson, and Donna Wilson.