Discovery Walk Festival Blog

We've posted overview maps for Saturday and Sunday that show all of the walking routes each day.

See: http://www.discoverywalk.org/iml/maps.html

These are for overview purposes only.  On the day of the event, you will receive a detailed map and written instructions specific for the distance you are walking.  Our routes are also marked with color-coded arrows and ribbons.

 Our t-shirts this year feature our 2009 logo of the family walking. The shirts for the public will be in a soft meadow green. The volunteer shirts will be in purple.  We have updated our CafePress.com online store where you can order a variety of articles with the new logo, including toddler and youth sizes.  If you order from CafePress.com, the items will be shipped directly to you.

Posted by dwfblog at 04:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Discovery Walk Festival will have a new award system in place in 2009.  This new system is aimed to please our walkers.  It will cost us more than the previous system, but should also reduce the time in the finish lines and send walkers home with a new medal/ribbon combination each year.

We want every walker on Saturday and Sunday to take home a medal award.  Our quartermaster Krista loves awards and especially loves wearing a medal on a neck ribbon to work after a big event.  For this year, we found a new medal supplier who was able to give us a good price for a lovely cloisonne medal on a neck ribbon that lists the year 2009.  For those completing the marathon distance, their neck ribbons will say Marathon 26.2 2009.  For those completing the triathlon, their swim medal will be on a neck ribbon that says Triathlon.

In previous years, those who walked both Saturday and Sunday got a certificate for the second day, but only get a medal on the first day.  This year they will get a #2 pin to add to their medal and neck ribbon award they got on Saturday.

Our previous system gave out small number pins (and no medal) to returning walkers, with a new medal every 4th year. The plan was for them to add the numbers to the medal they earned the first year, 4th year, 7th year, 10th year, etc.  We will have the small number pins available for those who have earned them and want them, but you will have to request them at the Sales booth rather than at the finish.  This excludes the #2 pin, which we are using as stated above as the second-day award.  We will not be handing out the medals you would have gotten for the 4th, 7th or 10 year, as we are using those now and in the future as awards for the swim.

This year, our Friday Mayor's Walk Award will be our Peace Medal coin, which we have used in previous years but have not used for the past three years.  On one side is a reproduction of the Corps of Discovery (Lewis and Clark) medal they used as friendship offerings to the Native Americans along their journey.  The reverse side shows our Discovery Walk globe logo.

We will no longer have a unique patch for each year.  We have a stock of our club patch and the IML Walking Association patch, as well as the yearly patches from the past 12 years for those who want to purchase a patch.

We know change is difficult and there will be those who will not like these changes.  But we believe that our first, second and third time walkers will like this award system better.  It should be noted that this is not a cost-cutting move.  In fact, this new system will cost us more.  But it will reduce administrative time and time in the finish line, which should ultimately please the walkers, the volunteers and the registrar.

Posted by dwfblog at 07:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Friday Mayor's Walk: will include the new Vancouver Land Bridge, which connects the Columbia River to the Historic Reserve and celebrates the land, the river, and the people.

Saturday Walks: New routes for all distances.  The 5K route, which also serves as the Family Fun Walk, will enjoy a walk through the Vancouver Farmer's Market and then down the Columbia River Renaissance Trail to the Princess Ilchee Statue and back.

The 10K route will follow the 5K route for the first half, then join the 21K and 42K route at our Super Checkpoint at Marshall Center where you can enjoy a Germany theme food and fun.

The 21K route and 42K routes enjoy local greenways and neighborhoods.  The 42K route is a full circle route that only shares its first 10K and last 10K with the 21K route.  Both converge at the Marshall Center for a fun Super Checkpoint before your final return to the finish.

Sunday Walks: New routes for all distances.  We have eliminated using buses.  You will start and end your walk at the Vancouver Hilton Hotel.  All routes visit a Super Checkpoint at the Washington State School for the Blind.

Bikes: We have added a 15K route  and will also have a 10K family route available for those who need an even shorter route.

We should have overview maps available before the event.  Each walker and biker receives a detailed map and directions at the start.  Our routes are also marked with ribbons and arrows.

 We do not have 32K routes this year.  That distance offering was only sparsely used and we need to put our trailmarking and sweeping teams to better use on the other routes.  It takes about 4 hours to mark each 10K of trail properly.  We are always recruiting experienced trail markers.

Posted by dwfblog at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Discovery Walk Festival welcomes our three returning presenting sponsors:

Cascade Heart presents the Friday Mayor's Walk

Realvest Corporation presents the Saturday Lewis and Clark Walk

Veolia Water presents the Sunday Lt. Broughton Walk

In these tough economic times, sponsorships are shrinking and that is difficult for events such as ours which endeavors to keep entry costs very low while providing an award and a full service event. Our goal is to promote healthy lifestyles and international friendship.

We want as many local/regional walkers to attend as possible, so we have a very minimal registration charge - and free for children age 12 and under.  Our team entry fee is only $5 per person as we want community clubs, groups, and families to encourage each other to get out and walk!

We rely upon sponsorships and grants to fund our publicity budget and the extras we provide at the event.  We are very grateful for our generous returning sponsors.  We seek new sponsors to allow us to spread the word about our event and bring even more people our introduction to healthy living.

Posted by dwfblog at 05:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)