Rochester Red Wings raise $10K through ‘Intentional Walk’

UPDATE: – The Red Wings set a goal to have people walk 500 miles in total, and they reached that goal on Sunday.

They raised $10K for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rochester, the Boys and Girls Club of Geneva, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings are taking to the treadmill, all to help local organizations.

The ball club is hosting the second annual Intentional Walk.

You’ll find players and staff walking or running on treadmills, with a goal of reaching 500 miles and raising $10,000.

This year’s focus is on mentoring programs in our region. The Wings are raising money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rochester and Geneva and for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester.

To do it, the team pulled two treadmills onto the concourse at Innovative Field for a six-day stretch.

The fundraiser kicked off at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 4. The idea first came to General Manager Dan Mason and his team a year ago.

They broke their goal of $10,000 and also ran more than 500 miles. Mason says it was such a hit, they had to do it again.

One key difference from last year? This won’t be going on 24/7. They’ll be taking time to sleep.

They’re inviting fans to participate during games, too. It costs $10 to walk for 10 minutes. All proceeds to go the local organizations.

“All three of those organizations are just phenomenal organizations in our community, and we’re lucky to have their mentorship for our youth,” Mason said. “Hopefully, we can raise a lot of awareness – and more importantly a lot of money – for those three great organizations in our town.”

“Its a great way to also stay healthy, and create some positive awareness about leading a healthy lifestyle,” Mason added.

While News10NBC was at Innovative Field Tuesday, the power briefly went out. But there was a back-up plan: to do it old school. After all, four laps around the field equals 1 mile.

The fundraiser went on, reinforcing the importance of not giving up – and a reminder that sometimes, the most motivating thing is being in it to help others.

The Red Wings have partnered with Wegmans Food Markets on the fundraiser. You don’t have to run or walk to help out. Donations are accepted during games, via Venmo, and online.