For this week’s Sunday Spotlight, I thought I would highlight an annual tradition at the Disneyland Resort. CHOC Walk in the Park is a 5K where thousands of guests walk through the Disneyland Resort to raise money for CHOC Children’s. Over the course of its 28-year history, CHOC Walk has raised over $32 million for the benefit of Southern California children.
Through the years, CHOC Walk has evolved into what it is today. Originally it was a 5-mile walk from Main Place Mall in Santa Ana to Disneyland, via CHOC. Then it moved to the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. However, in 2002 it moved to the Disneyland Resort. It because the first (and only) event of its kind to be held at the Disneyland Resort.
Every year thousands of people arrive at the Disneyland Resort to walk through Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. It may be very early in the morning, but it is a lot of fun! As I remember back to when DAPS MAGIC first started participating in the CHOC Walk, it’s hard not to smile. The website was in its infancy. We really didn’t know what we were doing yet. A few Disney friends told me about a walk for a charity that we should do. Not really knowing much about it, it seemed like a good idea so we went for it. Little did we know, this would be the beginning of a partnership that would not only change a bunch of children’s lives but also ours.
The more we have gotten involved with CHOC and CHOC Walk in the Park, the more we have recognized the difference it makes. We’ve been able to meet the kids that CHOC Children’s help. That is a life-changing experience in itself. As the years have gone by, we have decided that we really are committed to doing as much as we can to help CHOC Children’s. This led to the creation of ROCK4CHOC, a benefit concert to help raise funds for CHOC Walk in the Park. As we move forward, we hope that this will grow and that we can support CHOC Children’s more each year.
Today though, team DAPS MAGIC can be found walking through the park at the crack of dawn. On top of that, I’ll be hosting the CHOC Walk in the Park live stream on the CHOC Walk Facebook page. Would love to see you there! If you aren’t up early for the CHOC Walk today, we’d love to bump into you in the park in the afternoon or evening. I’m sure the DAPS MAGIC team will take a break before returning to the happiest place on Earth. Above all though, take a minute today to think about how you might be able to support CHOC Children’s. Maybe it is by walking in the CHOC Walk. Maybe it is by supporting a team. You can still support our team at chocwalk.org/dapsmagic. It could even be by simply sharing this post and raising awareness.
CHOC Walk in the Park is aiming to raise $3 million this year. Hopefully, by the time you read this, that has happened! If not, there is still a month to fundraise and also the Taste of Downtown Disney event. This has become a cause that we at DAPS MAGIC really are passionate about. As we move into the future, we hope you will join us as we continue to try and make a difference. Are you with us?
