A host of families gathered round Lakeside Park to put in steps for charity, Saturday morning, as part of an annual drive rooted in a spiritual tradition.
The Augusta chapter of nonprofit organization BAPS Charities held its annual In the Joy of Others Walk-Run, a fundraising walkathon organized to support other local charities.
This year, the yearly walk supported Columbia County Cares Food Pantry, a volunteer organization, affiliated with Harvest Food Bank, that has served the county for nearly 30 years.
Georgia House Representative Gary Richardson participated in the walk for his third time, this year, lauding the efforts of Columbia County Cares when BAPS recognized him for his support.
“They work hard,” Richardson said. “They show up and they’re there to serve the community every week and so I appreciate y’all for what you all do.”
At about 10:30 a.m., after recognizing sponsors, members of BAPS and other pledged volunteers began their trek from Lakeside, up Panther Crossing, over to Blue Ridge Drive and down Evans to Locks Road, until reaching their destination at Evans Towne Center Park, where the gathering concluded with a picnic lunch.
The “BAPS” in BAPS Charities refers to Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a branch within the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism, a temple for which is located on Furys Ferry Road. Its adherents follow the teachings of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual leader, or guru, of the tradition, who founded BAPS Charities as an independent nonprofit organization in 2000.
By then, the group already had a long-held practice of benevolent service before then, with the first walkathon in Augusta in 1999. The charity operates internationally, with more than 70 throughout the U.S. alone.
Other BAPS Charities initiatives include health lectures, blood drives, education and career coaching and other fundraising activities such as Small Hands Big Hearts, in which children participants collect donations for other causes.
“They will take money from their chores, or any type of money that they earn, to donate to the charity itself,” said Dr. Nilay Patel, a member of BAPS in Augusta, explaining further that activities like the walkathon are also meant to encourage youth in the tradition to cultivate spiritual values of giving and acts of service.
“It’s our duty as humans,” said ninth grader Smruti Patel, a volunteer in Saturday’s walkathon. “As members of this charity, we should help people because the community has done so much for us. This is a chance for us to give that back.”
For more information on BAPS Charities, and its local chapter, visit https://www.bapscharities.org/usa/augusta/.
