Children from many churches walked for Good Shepherd Alliance through historic Leesburg to raise awareness for the homeless population.
Photograph Fernando Hernandez.
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GSA to Hold 5th Annual Homeless Walk
GSA to Sponsor 5th annual homeless walk through historic Leesburg, Virginia
500 expected to participate in Leesburg Walk for Shelter
Saturday September 19, 2009. Family activities are from 10 AM until 1 PM.
Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia
Call GSA at 703-424-1555 or visit on line at www.loudounhomeless.org
Join The Good Shepherd Alliance Inc. (GSA) in our annual Walk for the Homeless. Celebrate with us our 26th year with the Loudoun Community in meeting the needs of homeless persons.
Living in Northern Virginia, it's sometimes easy to forget that there are people living in this area who struggle without one of life's most basic necessities: affordable housing. We here in Loudoun County will have the opportunity to be part of the solution to that problem. The GSA will support the homeless in Northern Virginia by sponsoring the 5th annual “Walk for Shelter” through the historic section of Leesburg, Virginia. All proceeds benefit the Loudoun homeless at The GSA shelters for women, children and families located in Purcellville, Arcola and North Leesburg.The GSA is a private non-profit and will host its Walk for Shelter on Saturday September 19, 2009. Registration begins at 9 am at the Douglas Community Center pavilion and the Walk begins at 10 am. Opportunities abound to bring your friends and family. Public Schools and Home School groups are invited. Churches, youth pastors, Sunday school classes, civic organizations, MOMS Clubs, etc. are all invited. Bring a group from your business, school, church or neighborhood. Wear your company or church T-shirt or bring a company or church banner. We want to show our community that we care and raise support for this necessary service in Loudoun County.
Children Begin Walk for Shelter at Douglass School - photo David-Madison.com
Sponsors can help you raise money in support of our Emergency and Transitional Housing to help alleviate homelessness. Special family activities will follow the walk. Come and join us for a community event and be an advocate for those less fortunate. Call today for more sponsorship opportunities.
Common Ground Church has partnered with GSA to help solicit business sponsors and is coordinating the moon bounce, face painting and grilling of hotdogs. Their congregation will be out volunteering at our registration tables and helping in various other designated areas of support.
TD Bank will supply the bottled water prior to the walk, manning an “ice-pop for a donation” booth, and making and distributing balloon animals for the children.
Walkers File Down East Market Street - photo Justin Letende
Registration is $20 for adults, $15 for youth 10 to 18 and children under 10 are free.
If you would like to learn more about GSA visit GSA’s website, www.loudounhomeless.org
Last year the Walk for Shelter through historic Leesburg, Virginia took place on Saturday, September 22, 2008. Hosted by the GSA, the Walk for Shelter began in the early morning from the Douglass School Pavilion on the corner of Sycolin Road and East Market Street. The 1.2 mile walk continued west on East Market to Loudoun Street, then on to King Street, through historic Leesburg, back to East Market then over to Harrison Street past the Government Building and back to the Douglass School. The walk will follow the same route in 2009.
Walkers Pose in Front Of Times Mirror Building - photo David-Madison.com
GSA is proud of its cooperative relationship with Loudoun County and Leesburg Town Government. GSA is grateful to the Leesburg Town Council, Leesburg Police and Parks and Recreation for their cooperation and coordination of this event.
GSA needs the continuous support from our dynamic business community to supply much needed materials, services and funding to maintain and upgrade our facilities. GSA strongly believes that assisting those less fortunate with their most basic needs fosters hope and goodwill among our diverse and fast growing community.
The GSA maintains offices on Ashburn Road in Ashburn Village, a family shelter in Arcola, an emergency shelter and transitional home in North Leesburg, and a house for homeless pregnant women in Purcellville. The GSA also operates three thrift stores including a new Kids Store located in Ashburn Commons Shopping Center Plaza at 20630 Ashburn Road. Hope’s Treasures Kids just had its grand opening on Tuesday, August 11, 2009. It stocks children’s clothing, shoes, toys and accessories. Get what you need at a price you can afford. Hope’s Treasures Kids is located at 20630 Ashburn Road. The store number is 703-723-4939. GSA’s other thrift stores include a 5,800 sq ft store in Sterling and 3,000 sq ft store in Ashburn Village.
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits." [Psalm 68:19]
If anyone is interested in publishing a faith article on this web column, please contact Mark Gunderman at gunderman2001@aol.com.
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