Independent Perspective #1617

Guest:  Donna Becker

Topic:  ILGR's Walk, Run & Roll

Duration:  05:47

Published:  October 8, 2020

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Donna Becker, Assistant to the Director of Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), and your host is yours truly, Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program, Donna.

Guest:  Thank you, Ernie, nice to be here.

Host:  We're glad to have you. As many aspects of life have changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, among them is the way that agencies support their good work in the community, and you have all the details on an event that's coming up in the very near future. But so, people know just what some of those activities are that they'll be supporting, could you mention just briefly some of the services offered by ILGR?

Guest:  Well we do work with a lot of people that are homeless and, in the past, we've done some other events, and we take the funds from the proceeds from those, and we help people. Right now, we're currently going to purchase a scale, a weight scale, somebody here is under a crucial weight management and she does not have a scale to weigh herself. Another person we just had to help them go pay their storage unit fee they're homeless and living in a motel right now. So, we do a lot of things like that for our homeless, but we also have people that come in and we help them advocate for Social Security Disability. We may help them work on a resume to look for a job. Anything that somebody just comes in and maybe they're just feeling frustrated. We have our personal care aide program so we're doing a lot of orientations, surprisingly, for that program. So, there's quite a bit that we even though with the COVID. We are still a very, very busy agency here in Batavia.

Host:  Well, it's great to hear that you're continuing to provide all these services. On to the meat of the issue, the Walk, Run and Roll virtual race, how is that going to be conducted, and how can people participate?

Guest:  Okay. It is an all-inclusive 5K 10K race it’s on the honor system. It's a virtual race for all abilities. And it's a $25 participants fee. We do have a link that if people go onto our Facebook page, Independent Living Center - Batavia, they can look for our sign up. And again, it's a $25 per participant, they'll get a free t shirt. We are also adding something a little different. We're going to do a visual and auditory scavenger hunt. So, while you're out walking you may hear the rustling of the leaves, you may hear church bells in the distance. You might hear, maybe like a squirrel rustling through, you might see acorns, walnuts on the ground. The colorful leaves. But anybody who participates, you have between October 18, and 31st. To complete your 5K or 10K. You do not have to do it all in one segment, you can do it over a period of a couple of days, again it's all on the honor system, Ernie.

Host:  Well that sounds like the safest possible way that people could participate in an event of this sort, and it's probably a bit early to for you to have had a substantial signup. Is there a limit to when people can register or is it any time before October 18?

Guest:  No, the registration just began September 24. You can register right up to the very end if you want to do a 5K or 10K on October 31, by all means, you go ahead, and you do it. So, I mean we're encouraging people to register early, but they can start registering, and even during that two weeks’ timeframe that the 5K and the 10K race will be taking place. So, it does not have to be before the 18th.

Host:  All right. That's great to hear. And could you please tell people how they can contact you if they have questions on how this is divvied up?

Guest:  Yes, they can call me here at the Batavia office, 585-815-8501, my extension is 411, and I can answer any questions for them.

Host:  Thanks for being with us, Donna.

Guest:  Thanks, Ernie.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a Public Affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Donna Becker, Assistant to the Director of ILGR and your host was yours truly, Ernie Churchwell.