State of the Walk 2019 – Walk with a Doc

Good morning! It’s officially 2019 and we have five (5) topics I cannot wait to share. Whether you have stuck with us since 2005 or for these last three sentences, I’m honored to be with you this a.m.

As you check out our plans it would help to know our mission statement.

Walk with a Doc inspires communities through movement and conversation.

Your time is valuable, let’s go.

Today, I’ll touch on our 2019 Walk Goals, Walk Vision, Walk Challenge, Walk Team and Walk Leadership.

Disclaimer: These are primarily the author’s thoughts before fully vetting them with people who carry a sense of realism (i.e. Rachael, our Board, Bryan, and wife Kristin).

(1) Walk Goals: I’ll share a big one..be present in 90% of the 179 US Medical Schools by September 1st, 2019. That’s 161 schools and we are currently in 21.

That’s 140 pounds of fun right in front of us.

What are the quivers in our hand-stitched pouch?

(a) We are free to the next 45 visionary med students – thanks to the leadership gift of this incredible woman.

(b) Great help from collaborations – AMSA, AAMC, and hopefully a couple more.

(d) A secret weapon (please see #4)

(e) code blue – awareness is critical; this is an amazing vehicle we’re humbled to be included in. Thank you Dr. Saray and Marcia. Release is January 11th, 2019. 10 días!

(2) Walk Vision: In 2019, we wish to formalize a partnership with one nature oriented group. Nature and health are one in the same. We will also be incorporating food into our space. Dietitians presenting, recipes going out over social media, samples at WWAD events, etc. More to come with both of those (nature, samples and maybe a little something else – not Reese’s)

(3) Walk Challenge: This will be our supermagical fundraiser event. Still finalizing details but we have an update. Saturday, May 4th, 2019. 4 distances 5, 10, 25 and 50 miles on a gorgeous 5 mile loop in New Albany, OH. Tons of food, friends, music, inspiration and laughter. More to come.

(4) Walk team: You always introduce the band with one song left, right?

Our team is you. You are WWAD.

Our Columbus team (that welcomed a record 194 chapters in ’18) is Rachael, Bryan, and myself with not enough Jessica (stray tear down right cheek), she’s in NC.

I’m not supposed to do this, but we extended an offer to someone we think very highly of that can make us all better. She would be our first remote FTT (teammate) and would receive the title of World Changer, should she choose to accept it. I’m a little nervous, a lot excited.

(5) Walk Leadership: We will shortly be announcing Walk with a Doc Donor Leadership at three levels. These Circles of Trust includes ‘The Park’, ‘The Trail’ and ‘The Coffee House’. Again, I haven’t talked to any adults about this yet.

In summary, our 2019 word is ‘Breakthrough’.

Thanks to all of you, we’re almost there.

After 13 years, we are 100% confident in what Walk with a Doc can bring to our guests, our leaders, our health systems and our communities.

Thank you for your valuable time this morning.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish, and Stay Tuned – 2019 will be something special.

David