“This
is hands down the hardest decision we have had to make in the life of the
RidgeWalk,” said Event Chair Jim Helms. “To be successful, the RidgeWalk needs
the support of the Wellsville school system for registration and busing, as
well as the more than 50 land owners who allow the trails to cross their land,
and the local volunteers and sponsors who keep things running smoothly. Without
all of these pieces in place, we knew a live RidgeWalk would not be possible
and strongly considered just cancelling it.”
Runners
like Jim Helms will tell you that running is a great opportunity for clear
thinking and it was during a solo run on the WAG trail that he got the idea to transition
the 2020 RidgeWalk & Run into a virtual event. “I realized the runners and
walkers who look forward to the event love to share their adventures on the
trails regardless of where those trails are,” he said. “The RidgeWalk committee
agreed: If we can’t get together in person, we will hold a virtual event.”
So
the first – and hopefully only – virtual RidgeWalk was born. The over 70 people
who registered for the event prior to July 15, 2020 have three options. They
can participate in the historic RidgeWalk & Run as virtual walk or run; request
a deferral of their registration to the 29th RidgeWalk & Run on for
October 17, 2021; or request a refund of the 2020 registration, minus the Run
Signup processing fee. Requests for deferrals or refunds should be made no later
than Saturday, August 15th, 2020.
If
you would like to continue to support the RidgeWalk & Run as a virtual
event, the first step is registering as usual at https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Wellsville/28thAnnualRidgeWalkRun. “The registration process
is the same and all of the standard distances are listed,” Helms said. “Complete
the chosen route between October 10th and 18th and submit a
completion form.” The committee is asking participants to submit photos of
their walk or run, which they hope will continue the spirit of the event by
taking place on trails. “We recognize this isn’t possible for everyone,” he
added. “But we are encouraging people to post photos of their participation on
Instagram (#ridgewalkrun) or The RidgeWalk & Run Facebook page or by
Facebook Messenger.” You can also email pictures and stories to RidgeWalk@urmc.rochester.edu.
The
good news for RidgeWalk t-shirt collectors is that those participating in the
virtual event will be mailed a 28th annual RidgeWalk t-shirt, noting
that it was a virtual event. Because there are no sponsors, this year’s swag
bag is limited to the t-shirt, which will be mailed in late November.
As
usual, all proceeds from the RidgeWalk & Run will be used for community
health initiatives. A link to registration can be found on the Jones Memorial
Hospital website: jones.rochester.edu.
“It
won’t be the same RidgeWalk,” Helms added. “But we hope that by holding a virtual
trek and sharing the stories and photos will keep our RidgeWalk community
connected during a difficult time.’
