GSA to Host 6th Annual Homeless Walk Through Historic Leesburg, Virginia

300 hundred expected to participate in Leesburg Walk for Shelter

Mark Your Calendars – Saturday September 18, 2010

Pre-registration is at 9 AM. Family activities are from 10 AM until 1 PM.

Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia

Call GSA at 703-724-1555 or visit on line at http://www.goodshepherdalliance.org

Join The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc. (GSA) in our 6th Annual Walk for Shelter on September 18. Celebrate with us our 27th year in meeting the needs of homeless and indigent persons in the Loudoun Community.

Living in Northern Virginia, it’s sometimes easy to forget that there are people living in this area who struggle without one of life’s most basic necessities: affordable housing. This September, we here in Loudoun County will have the opportunity to be part of the solution to that problem. The GSA will be sponsoring the Walk for Shelter which will take participants through the historic section of Leesburg, Virginia. All proceeds will benefit the Loudoun homeless at the GSA shelters for women, children and families located in Purcellville and North Leesburg.

Registration begins at 9 AM at the Douglas Community Center pavilion with the Walk to begin at 10 AM. Lunch and activities commence at 11 AM. Opportunities abound to bring your friends and family. Public School and Home School groups are invited. Churches, youth pastors, Sunday school classes, civic organizations, MOMS Clubs, etc. are all invited. Bring a group from your business, school, church or neighborhood. Wear your company or church T-shirt or bring a company or church banner. We want to show our community that we care and raise support for homeless programs and services in Loudoun County.

Special family activities to follow the walk to include an ice-pop for a donation booth, moon bounce, face painting, mimes performing, balloon animals, free grilled hot dogs and other family activities. Come and join us for a community event and be an advocate for those less fortunate. Registration is $20 for adults, $15 for youth 10 to 18 and children under 10 are free.

We would like to ask you to consider sponsoring our Walk this year. Now is the time! Perhaps your support for the homeless and near-homeless in our community can come through a financial sponsorship, a booth at the event or through facilitating a group to walk with us. Walkathon registration documents are available online through the GSA website. Call today for more sponsorship opportunities.

Common Ground Church has partnered with GSA to help solicit business sponsors and is coordinating the moon bounce, face painting and grilling of hotdogs. Their congregation will be volunteering at our registration tables and helping in various other designated areas of support.

GSA needs the continuous support from our dynamic business community to supply much needed materials, services and funding to maintain and upgrade our facilities. GSA strongly believes that assisting those less fortunate with their most basic needs fosters hope and goodwill among our diverse and fast growing community.

GSA is proud of its cooperative relationship with Loudoun County and Leesburg Town Government.  GSA is grateful to the Leesburg Town Council, Leesburg Police and Parks and Recreation for their cooperation and coordination of this event.

Children lead the way during Good Shepherd Alliance homeless walk on East Market Street. 300 men, women, students and toddlers are expected to walk for Good Shepherd Alliance homeless services and prorams. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9] Photo courtesy Justin Letendre.

“To whom much is given, of him is much expected. [Luke 12:48] We are a community of plenty and much is expected of us. Please come out and walk with us.

Last year’s walk…

Last year the Walk for Shelter took place on Saturday, September 19, 2009. The Walk for Shelter began in the early morning from the Douglass School Pavilion on the corner of Sycolin Road and East Market Street. The 1.2 mile walk continued west on East Market to Loudoun Street, then on to King Street, through downtown Leesburg, back to East Market then over to Harrison Street past the Government Building and back to the Douglass School. The temperature was a cool 63 degrees during pre-registration and check-in. But the morning warmed up fast and the 1.2 mile walk experienced twice the crowd size from last year as the large contingent snaked its way through the long avenues and then into the beautiful historic district on King Street. Three volunteer photographers, David Madison, Fernando Hernandez and Marinda P. Wong were on hand to capture these precious moments in time. Many grandparents, parents and children walked with GSA board members and staff. Parents said that the walk provided an educational experience that raised awareness about homelessness. The youth especially gained appreciation for the many blessings provided by their own families.

GSA Executive Director Vickie Koth provided the crowd with a pre-walk opening statement. Ms. Koth said, “Praise the Lord for such a beautiful day and thank everyone for coming and thank our sponsors, INOVA, Rock Creek Properties, TD Bank and Common Ground Church.” She provided an overview of the GSA programs: emergency and transitional housing, community outreach and the need for monetary and material donations to support the indigent and homeless population. Koth recognized the great community support and willingness to step forward to volunteer and contribute food and supplies every week. However the GSA has a great need for financial sponsors; even as little as $5 per month does make a difference when many can participate.

Pastor Dave Norman, GSA Board Member and Senior Pastor Crossroads United Methodist Church in Ashburn provided the prayer and blessing. Pastor Norman prayed that all our small steps taken would lead to larger steps toward helping the homeless tomorrow. He believed that each walker might be a voice for those whose voices are rarely heard.

243 people walked to include many children and teens. $7,000 was raised for homeless programs and services and to foster volunteerism in service to alleviate homelessness. Previous walks drew 61, 35, 120 and 138 registered walkers in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. Past Delegate Dave Poisson, his legislative aide Sandy Martinez and Bob Ohneiser, GSA Board Member and Broad Run School Board Representative, participated in the walk.

The event had several special features to include a medical health tent with INOVA representatives on site at the Douglass Center pavilion. INOVA offered homeless walkers free screenings for blood pressure and body mass index and many walkers took advantage of the free screenings. Common Ground Church transported and installed the moon bounces, sound system and donated and served a wonderful lunch for tons of people. The congregation was an indescribable asset and GSA’s new partner in ministry.

The Good Shepherd Alliance maintains offices on Ashburn Road in Ashburn Village, an emergency shelter and transitional home in North Leesburg and a house for homeless pregnant women in Purcellville. The GSA also operates four thrift stores including a Hope’s Treasures Kids located in Ashburn Commons Shopping Center Plaza at 20630 Ashburn Road. It stocks children’s clothing, shoes, toys and accessories. Get what you need at a price you can afford. GSA’S other thrift stores include a 6,000 square foot store in Sterling and 3,000 square foot store in Ashburn Village. Our fourth store grand opening is set for October 1, 2010 in the Prosperity Center Leesburg (703 East Market Street). For more information about the new store call 703-724-1555.

If you would like to learn more about GSA visit GSA’s website, http://www.goodshepherdalliance.org.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” [Psalm 68:19].

Registration starts at 9 AM on Saturday just one hour before the walkathon. The following Churches and organizations walked with the Good Shepherd Alliance on September 19, 2009. Common Ground Church, Community Lutheran Church, Christ Community Church, Cross Current Ministries, Daybreak Community Church, Delta Mime Team, Dranesville Church of the Brethren – Great Falls, Greek Orthodox Parish of Loudoun County, INOVA Hospital, LINK Food Bank, Mclean Bible Church, Nova Youth Flag Football League, Purcellville Baptist Church and St. Matthews Church.