For the Muncie Mission, this year's Walk-a-Mile in My Shoes was special. The seventh annual charity walk was held just seven months after its building caught on fire, and more than 1,500 community members and Ball State students turned out to raise money for the shelter and its residents.
The walk began at 9 a.m. after an opening program thanking walkers and sponsors for the event's success.
Muncie firefighters, who helped put out the blaze at the Mission this summer, led the parade.
"The general support from the people of Muncie for the poor and the needy and the homeless was just very encouraging and it helps us to press on and keep doing what we're doing," Ray Raines, executive director of Muncie Mission Ministries, said.
The walk is held every February to raise awareness about the hardships of homelessness.
"Homelessness has no age or time. It is every day. It can be hot and it can be cold and just like this past several weeks have been very difficult," Raines said. "Many people are just unaware... of the plight of the needy that they can't choose the day or the place when they have an appointment to ask for help or assistance."
Each year, the Mission awards two travelling Golden Sneaker trophies: one to the largest team and one to the team who donated the most money.
Cowan Elementary School and the Gathering Church tied for the largest teams with about 75 members, Raines said.
Freshman Lauren McCutchen,, and three other Alpha Phi sorority members volunteered before and during the walk as part of a community service requirement.
McCutchen said community involvement is beneficial for every college student.
"Definitely volunteer. If not walk in [the charity walk], then volunteer somehow... it's not hard and you get to know people and it's for a great cause," she said.
Bobby Bowman has lived at the Muncie Mission for 15 months and walked the route this year. He said he's been sober for 15 months and has begun to regain respect from his family due to the Mission. Bowman said he has also renewed his relationship with his 10-year-old daughter.
"I've never seen a community like this," he said. "It just blows me away that there's so many people supporting this thing. I know a lot of people wonder when they donate if any good results come out of it and I have to tell you, they do. I was tired of living the way I was. [Because of the Misison] I found Christ and everything's going uphill now...This place has done a lot for me."
Steve Pidock has been participating with the Walk-A-Mile walk for the past four years and sat on the committee to organize the event.
"Not everyone can give money, but there's always a need for volunteers," he said.
He said community involvement is important because "everyone deserves a second chance and they get those chances because people volunteer."
Even children got involved in giving to the Mission.
The Damer family was one of the Certificate of Accomplishment award winners, a prize given to the teams who donated more than $1,000. Abigail Damer walked with her three children after hearing about the Walk-A-Mile walk from a friend who is involved with the Mission.
She said her two young sons, Isaac and Michael, raised about $2,100 by starting out with one dollar and asking people at their church and around their neighborhood to simply double what they had.
Raines said the Walk-A-Mile fundraiser raised $67,000 last year. There is no word on how much was donated Saturday, but Raines said donations continue to come in after the walk.
The next fundraiser for the Mission will be the Muncie Mission Golf Tournament held on June 2.
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