Blair helped to raise $60,000 for Crossway Community, a charity which helps the homeless in our community, when over 1200 students and teachers walked four laps around the track as part of the "Help the Homeless Walkathon 2001."

The walk was a large success, attracting many more than the estimated 1000 students who were expected. The first 1000 participants received XL t-shirts with the red "Help the Homeless" logo printed on the front. Due to the large amount of student interest, the SGA ran out of registration forms, a problem which they hope to rectify when they repeat the walkathon next year.

The national "Help the Homeless Walkathon," sponsored by the Fannie Mae Foundation, is on Saturday Nov. 17 on the National Mall between 7th and 14th streets. Last year the walk raised nearly $150,000 and had attracted over 600 walkers.

In both the national and local Blair walk, called a "mini-walk," Fannie Mae Foundation gives $50 for each registered walker. For every 250 registration forms received, the Foundation will also contribute an award of $1000 up to $5000.

Kimberly Haven, part of marketing and development for Crossway Community, first introduced the idea for a "mini-walk" at Blair to the SGA. She is awestruck by the enthusiasm which Blair students displayed during the walk and is very excited that teenagers would see helping the homeless as a privilege and not a duty. "It's one thing to collect forms, another to really participate," she says.

The SGA is also very heartened by the day's success and hopes to sponsor the walk again next year, except next time with more planning. According to Senior Brandon Hayes, the third Vice President of the SGA, the 16 members of the student government had originally planned to go to the national walkathon by themselves, possibly holding a sign.

When Haven came to the SGA about two weeks ago and told them a mini-walk at Blair would be more beneficial, they jumped on the idea despite the fact that they had with only two weeks to advertise. Senior Ximena Levander, the senior class secretary, says the SGA started advertising immediately, putting up posters, showing a video about the walk on Info Flow and visiting as many first period classes as they could to get the word out about the walk. Hayes says that the SGA is very excited from the large number of students who particiapted and plans to start organizing the walk much sooner next year so that even more people will know to come.

According to its website, Crossway Community started in 1990 and operated a signature two-year Family Leadership Program for homeless families. This program integrates life skills, parenting education, career and child development resources with safe, affordable housing. Crossway Community is a community-based, non-profit organization with a mission to promote learning, creativity and community for all families. It also provides comprehensive family support services to at-risk mothers and children in the Washington D.C. area.

Haven believes that the success of the walk reflects upon the generosity of the students of Blair that they were willing to give up their lunch period to help the homeless and work to solve social problems in our area. "I just love watching the kids come out and do this," she says. "It's really heartening."