United Way Pledge Walk to Help Special-Needs Pupils

East Valley Tribune, March 30, 2010, by CeCe Todd

Mesa United Way and the Mesa Unified School District have come up with a way to help their community and teach an important civics lesson at the same time.

On April 10, students, parents, educators and residents will come together for a 3-mile walk through downtown Mesa. Every dollar will be split evenly between participating student groups or classes and the United Way's Community Care Fund supporting human services programs in Mesa.

Leading up to the LIVE UNITED Walk United event, Mesa schools are teaching a civics lesson, "Why it is important to be involved in your community." Students will interpret the lesson through drawings or essays, with $300 going to the winning student and teacher.

"We talk about how important it is to support our community, but how do we really put that into practice," said Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, community liaison for the school district. "This gives students, parents and staff a tangible way to put that into effect."

Organizers are hoping for at least 3,000 participants, according to a news release from the Mesa United Way. As of Monday, 176 fundraising pages for individuals, clubs, classes and schools had been set up on the agency's Web site - www.mesaunitedway.org - where people can sponsor walkers.

"We're really going to leave it up to the schools to designate how funds will be used," Villanueva-Saucedo said.

The walk comes at a time when Arizona's school districts and charter schools are facing massive cuts in state funding - between $431 million and $859 million, depending on if voters in May agree to hike the state sales tax by 1 cent to 6.6 cents on every dollar of taxable items sold for the next three years.

The Mesa district will see its funding slashed by more than $28 million next school year; that figure will rise to more than $55 million if the sales tax hike is defeated, according to Chuck Essigs, director of governmental relations for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials.

"The schools are under a lot of pressure financially," Essigs said.

Even things like a treadmill for children with special needs can be hard to come by when budgets are tight.

So teacher Donna Lovetro, who works with 60 special-needs students at Westwood High and Carson and Stapley junior high schools, is hoping LIVE UNITED Walk United will raise money for a new treadmill in the district's Adapted Physical Education Department. The treadmill allows students to learn motor skills, but since it broke down, the district has been unable to buy a replacement.

Lovetro is encouraging her students and their parents to sign up for the walk as a fun and healthy way to benefit funding-starved schools and help needy people in the community, according to the United Way news release.

"Walking is such a good activity for them, and participating as a group really gets them motivated," Lovetro said.

The walk also will benefit the United Way's Community Care Fund, which supports local agencies that provide food, shelter, and other basic human services to residents in need, as well as programs for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

United Way officials are stressing that 100 percent of funds raised will go to the schools or the Community Care fund. Administrative expenses are being covered by separate corporate sponsors.

"There have been massive (state) budget cuts to many of the services for kids and families in our community," said Carol McCormack, president and chief professional officer of the Mesa United Way.

For example, the state now allocates just $12 a month to each foster care child for clothing. "You can't even buy a pair of shoes for that," McCormack said.

LIVE UNITED Walk United also will showcase musical talents of Mesa students with several student performing groups providing entertainment near the finish line. The event coincides with MACFest, which features local artists every Saturday in downtown Mesa.

LIVE UNITED Walk United

What: 3-mile pledge walk through downtown Mesa to benefit local schools and charities.

When: April 10; check-in begins at 7 a.m., walk starts at 9 a.m.

Where: Parking and staging area is at the Mesa United Way building, 137 E. University Drive, between Center Street and Mesa Drive.

Information: Everyone is welcome to participate. To learn more and to register, go to www.mesaunitedway.org and click on LIVE UNITED Walk United.