With Mother’s Day around the corner, a local service group is turning a morning walk into an opportunity to support students working toward the finish line of their education.
The Palos Park Woman’s Club has named Moraine Valley Community College as a beneficiary of its fourth annual Mother’s Day Walk, scheduled for May 9. Proceeds from the event will help fund the club’s community efforts as well as Moraine Valley’s Last Mile Scholarship program, which assists students nearing graduation.
The walk will take place from 8 to 11 a.m., offering participants a choice of three routes centered around Lake Katherine. Walkers can opt for a one-mile wood-chip loop, a two-mile paved path along the Cal-Sag Trail or a three-mile route combining both.
Local vendors and exhibitors are expected to line the area with a variety of last-minute Mother’s Day gifts, adding a festive element to the event. Participants who register will also receive a T-shirt while supplies last.
Ronette McCarthy, co-president of the Palos Park Woman’s Club and co-chair of the event, said the walk has become a meaningful way to bring the community together around a shared cause.
“This year, we wanted to support something that really makes a difference locally,” McCarthy said. “The Last Mile program helps students who are so close to finishing their degrees, and sometimes just need that extra bit of support to get there.”
The Last Mile Scholarship program provides financial assistance to Moraine Valley students who are only a few credits shy of completing their degree or certificate programs. College administrators and staff in the Counseling and Career Development Center identify students with the most urgent need, helping remove final barriers to graduation.
Kristy McGreal, executive director of the Moraine Valley Foundation, said the program has helped hundreds of students over the years stay on track.
“These are students who have already put in the work and are almost at the finish line,” McGreal said. “With a little help, they’re able to complete their education and move forward with their goals. It’s a powerful example of how community support can change lives.”
McCarthy said the setting of the walk adds an extra layer of meaning to the partnership.
“There’s something special about walking that last mile around the lake,” she said. “It mirrors what these students are going through, that final stretch that can make all the difference.”