Be a ‘Walk Star’! Go the extra mile for a good cause and join the Ritan Park Mao-a-thon on November 26 to raise money for Maovember, the annual Beijing-born event that donates 100 percent of its fundraising total to local charities.
The idea is simple. Participants will gather at Ritan Park and walk 5 laps, 10 laps, 20 laps or—the ultimate—50 laps. Go solo or enter as a relay team, with each participant footing part of the load.
Each 1.5 km lap raises money for Maovember’s 2022 designated charity, The Library Project, which funds reading rooms and more in rural schools.
Here are the key details for the Ritan Park Mao-a-thon, organized by the Metro Beijing branch of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO).
What time does it start?
Any time you’d like! For an average brisk walker, each 1.5 km lap will take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. That means 10 laps (15 km) will take from 2.5 hours up to–for slower walkers–5 hours. If you start at 9 AM, you can finish at lunch time. If you start at 2 PM, you can finish late afternoon.
Those doing more laps can pick the time that best suits them. Some planning to go for 50 laps (75 km) will put their shoes on the ground when Ritan Park opens at 6 AM.
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How are the laps counted?
Every time you complete a lap, you’ll take a selfie with your lap number. There will also be a rest station stocked with water, snacks, a place to store your bag… and of course plenty of encouragement. Jia you!
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How do I raise money?
Each Walk Star asks friends, co-workers and acquaintances to be their sponsors. For example, if a friend sponsors you RMB10 per lap, and you walk ten laps, you collect RM100 from your friend.
In short, each walker finds sponsors, does a bunch of laps, collects the sponsors’ money and donates it directly to Library Project. We suggest each walker try to raise a minimum of RMB1000.
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How do I donate the money?
Once you collect the sponsor money, send it directly to The Library Project using our dedicated QR code below. After the money is transferred, you will see your name and donation listed. You will also receive a certificate showing your donation total and the number of years of reading it funds.
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Why else should you join?
Aside from the warm fuzzy feeling of helping a good cause–and getting a good workout!–there will also be medals for the Walk Stars at the end, free foot massage vouchers for the first 30 people who raise over RMB1000, and an afterparty where the first beer is on us.
I’m in! How do I participate?
Join our Ritan Mao-a-thon WeChat Group here:
It’s as easy as a stroll in the park. You can get further details and ask questions about the Ritan Park Mao-a-thon in the group.
Oh no, I’m out of town or busy that day, but I would like to help the Library Project!
No problem, you can still donate to Maovember and The Library Project and help us fund reading rooms across China by using the our dedicated QR code. Check out the projects we funded in 2021 and funded in 2020.
This is the third Maovember event involving Ritan Park. In 2017, Mike Wester of The Beijinger walked 900 km during November, including 75 km (50 laps) in one day in Ritan Park.
And in 2019, a group of walkers and runners completed up to 28 laps (42 km) each in Ritan Park to raise money for Maovember.
Learn more about EO here and about Maovember here.
Maovember focuses on quirky events for good causes. Our 2022 partner is Library Project, which has furnished thousands of reading rooms in rural schools. Learn more about Maovember here. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.