On Saturday morning, members from the community and University gathered together at Manderson Landing to raise money for the Easter Seals at their annual “Walk With Me” event.

Easter Seals is a non-profit organization that provides services for adults and children with disabilities, according to Kathryn Hern, marketing director for the Birmingham and West Alabama Easter Seals. She said Easter Seals helps place adults with disabilities in gainful employment and provides adults and children with occupational, speech and physical therapy.

Hern worked to get the University and local schools involved in Walk With Me.

“We really try to tap into the University programs that are already established,” said Hern. She recruited members from the Honors College Assembly and members of the greek system to help with the event.

“We really appreciated the support from Phi Mu and Lambda Chi Alpha,” Hern said. “They worked hard and gave us tremendous support. The Honors College Assembly were also great volunteers and had a really helpful group of freshmen.”

This year, the event raised just under $20,000. Participants were asked to make donations, starting at a $25 donation for a t-shirt. In addition to participants walking for the cause, entertainment was provided at the event. There was a dunking booth, bounce house, and face painting stand.

Honors College Assembly students chalked encouraging messages along the course.

“While the big thing of today is fundraising, there is more,” said Fernanda Lima, a Freshmen Year Experience Intern in the Honors College. “I think a big unspoken thing is to provide support to the people who are here who have needs. We want to show them we are here to support them all the way through.”

Honors College students served as course marshals.

Phi Mu sorority philanthropy chair Kristen Burdette said she was excited about raising awareness for Easter Seals. “I don’t think a lot of people in the community know about Easter Seals. We are helping to bring the community together,” she said. Members of Phi Mu helped with registration, food distribution and face painting.

“Easter Seals really tries to get involved in the community,” Burdette said. “They try to be there for [the people that go to them] and create family based interactions.”

Members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity helped out with this event. Easter Seals is Lambda Chi’s philanthropy. According to Sam Mickal Solomon, a senior member of the fraternity, they have been helping with this event for many years.

“We like to see people come out and support Walk With Me,” said Solomon. “It is good to see people help out with a cause as important as this.” This year, Lambda Chi ran the dunking booth. The fraternity members who were dunked were dressed in Auburn and South Carolina colors.

The Alabama gymnastics also participated in the walk. Coach Sarah Patterson was the Honorary Chairperson of the event. The softball team usually helps with the event, but this year the gymnastics team took their place. “We were honored to be asked to step in and help with the event,” Patterson said.

Cole Nieman and other members of his Sigma Chi fraternity pledge class participated in Walk With Me. “It’s nice to help out and be involved with Easter Seals,” said Nieman. “We are doing this for a good cause.”