Virtual Walk Like MADD Explanation:
This event says it is a Virtual Walk Like MADD. What does that mean?
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event has been converted from a Live Event to a Virtual Walk Event. Please know that your health and safety are our top priority and it is vital to us to do everything we can to protect our #MADDFamily. We believe this decision is in the best interest of our Walk participants and hope you will still join us as we conduct this event virtually.
How is a Virtual Walk Event different from a Live Walk Event?
This year's 2021 West TN Virtual Walk Like MADD event will be held in conjunction with the 2021 Middle TN Walk Like MADD live event. On Event Day, we will livestream the Middle TN Opening Ceremony on Facebook Live. We will recognize victims, teams, and award winners for each Walk during the ceremony. Then for Walk Kick-Off, we will livestream and show the signs along our Walk route which will include both Middle and West TN victims. As our staff follows our Walk route, we encourage all of our West TN Walk participants to join us virtually and walk along with us in their own neighborhoods. We will also have some interactive ways for you to let us know you are taking part, with electronic Remembrance Boards and other commentary or activities.
What about Team Alley and all the victim tables?
For our live Walk Like MADD events, teams are invited to set-up a table on “Team Alley” to display momentos and photos to honor and remember those for whom they walk. For our virtual walk, we will offer an online Team Alley. Click here for instructions on how to participate by sending us a brief video to represent your team’s table. In short, you can set up an actual “table” in your home and decorate it as you would at a live event, then do a video describing the items on display, or you can simply walk around your home showing us your photos and momentos as they are normally displayed there. The videos will be posted to our Team Alley page and available to view shortly after we receive them. They will stay active even past the virtual Walk event date. Though our teams won’t be able to have an actual table at our walk location, we are excited to offer this alternative that actually allows your “table” to be viewed for a much longer timeframe with our virtual option!
What about our team and personal Walk pages?
Our Walk site with all our individual and team pages will function the same. You will register to participate and set-up your pages at walklikemadd.org/WestTN.
Will Registration be different since this is a virtual event?
You will have the choice of registering as a Virtual Adult Walker or a Virtual Youth Walker (ages 5-18.) Registration fees for our virtual event will be discounted by $5 throughout the entire registration period now that the event is virtual. So instead of the normal registration fees of $25/adult and $20/youth for our live event, the registration fees will be $20/adult and $15/youth. In addition, since the event is online, registration will remain open right up to the Start Time of the event. On the day of the event, Check-in Time will be at 2pm CT which is when the Opening Ceremony will begin.
What is the same?
Teams/walkers will still use their own Walk pages to help spread awareness about MADD’s mission and engage friends, family, coworkers, and their community to donate to their page. As always, it is important that you customize your page to help people understand why supporting MADD is important to you. (Click here and go to page 3 for instructions on how to customize your page.) We will honor and recognize the folks who raise the most with our Top Walker and Top Team awards during the virtual Opening Ceremony. Finally, on event day, we will still have Walk signs that tell the stories of the victims and survivors for whom we walk. Those are the signs that will be posted on our Walk route and broadcast during the Facebook Live event.
What else is different about a Virtual Walk?
Another part of the live event which everyone enjoys is seeing all of our corporate, community, and law enforcement partners join us with demonstrations and tables to talk about why they support MADD’s mission. Since they can’t join us in-person, we will also have a Virtual Partner Page available so that everyone can still get the benefit of learning about some of our fabulous and dedicated supporters! Make sure you check them out!