About 70 residents from across the Richmond region gathered at Byrd Park on Saturday morning for a 5K walkathon and breakfast in support of the children in Gaza amid the ongoing war.

Joggers, strollers and dog walkers of many ages, races and religions mixed with other park guests and locals as they moved along the winding, looping path of the Vita Course Trail.

While some attendees completed the trail three times to reach five kilometers, others opted to stay at the trail’s start, where conversation, fun and a wide variety of food lent the event a warm and friendly atmosphere for hours.

The event was organized by the Richmond-based Team Hind as part of their local fundraising effort for UNRWA USA’s National 5K, which has worked for years to raise awareness and money for mental health and trauma support for refugee Palestinian children. Similar events to the Byrd Park gathering have been held across the country recently, and more are planned in the months to come.

“I’m so proud of each and every one of you that have heard and responded,” Team Hind organizer Adeeb Abed said as he addressed the crowd. “Your presence here today is a clear and loud message that we stand with the oppressed.”

Team Hind, named for a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli military gunfire last year, had raised more than $13,000 of its $5,000 goal at the time of publication, while the national campaign had raised more than $644,000 of its $600,000 goal.

 Nidal Mahayni raises a peace sign while walking the Vita Course Trail in Byrd Park during Saturday’s walkathon supporting mental health care for children in Gaza.
 

The funds raised as part of the event will support programs such as trauma counseling, psychological support and safe learning environments. Attendees expressed hope that the event’s community impact will foster greater connections and solidarity around this and other conflicts affecting marginalized groups.

“Right now we live in a time where a lot of people are very isolated and realizing that there are like-minded people who care about the same things,” Richmond Democratic Socialists of America member Elisabeth Waldron said. “I think that’s what really helps me move forward, is realizing there’s people who think like us, who care about the same things and care about humanity.”