While the official word was that the walk was cancelled-the walk still went on.
Despite Saturday’s rain which brought the cancellation of Boyertown’s 11th Annual Unity Walk, individuals were not deterred from taking to the streets for a cause close to their hearts.
Boyertown’s Turning Leaf Fall Festival was pushed to its Sunday rain date due to weather condition; this was not the case for the Unity Walk which was reportedly set to be held rain or shine on Saturday.
According to Ken Hunt, of United Way of Boyertown, he was not a part of the decision to cancel the walk this year.
Terry Wade, one of the walk’s initiators 11 years ago and avid Unity Walk-er, was “shocked” to hear of its cancellation.
“It’s a good turn-out no matter what happens,” said Wade, while waiting for the clock to strike 2 p.m. on Sunday to see what the turn out would look like. He, like many others, assumed the walk would be pushed the Sunday with the fall festival in the park.
At 2 p.m., Wade, wearing one black shoe and one white shoe to symbolize the meaning behind the walk, rallied together those that came to walk.
“The cause is still the same,” said GiGi Malinchak of Colebrookdale, adding that “one person can make a difference; numbers are nice.”
Approximately twenty people came together to make the “unofficial” Unity Walk through the Borough of Boyertown on Sunday, Oct. 12; in past years the walk has been known to draw 200 to 2,000 people.
