The Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading will hold its 2nd Annual 5K Walk for Compassion on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Alvernia University, bringing together more than 100 community members for a morning dedicated to kindness, service, and local youth leadership.
The event is part of a nationwide weekend of action uniting Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) programs across the country. Locally, it is sponsored by VOiCEup Berks and Utilities Employees Credit Union. Proceeds will benefit VOiCEup Berks’ Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading, which has contributed more than 55,000 hours of service in Berks County over the past nine years.
“This event is about so much more than just walking,” said Lindsay Sites, program director for YVC of Reading. “It’s about youth, families, and neighbors joining together to take a stand for compassion—and in today’s world, that’s something we all need more of.”
Greg Cosgrove, marketing manager of Utilities Employees Credit Union, added, “At UECU, we believe that service strengthens our communities, and supporting Youth Volunteer Corps and VOiCEup Berks can make a lasting impact on our youth. With each step we take together, we can all make a difference.”
The walk will begin at 10 a.m., following a non-competitive, scenic route that is half trail and half campus, featuring paved and unpaved sections, rolling hills, and stretches of the Angelica Creek Trail. Participants can walk individually or form teams, and a fundraising challenge will recognize the top teams. Registered fundraisers will receive an event t-shirt.
Athena Worley, a Wilson High School junior and YVC participant, said, “Walking for compassion means walking for a future where kindness and community matter. We’re excited to lead the way.”
Registration opens at 9 a.m. at The PLEX building on Alvernia’s campus. More information, including registration and donation options, is available at yvc.org/campaign/yvcreadingwalk.
VOiCEup Berks, founded in 2016 as a fund of the Berks County Community Foundation, engages youth ages 11–18 in service-learning projects that address community needs while fostering teamwork, leadership, and compassion. More information is available at voiceupberks.org/yvc.