A total of 40 walkers started the New Year heading to the Fountain Hills Trail. They left the Lakeshore Hotel at 10:15a.m. for a Volkswalk, an event hosted by the Saguaro Sun Striders Volkssport Club.

The first team, Mrs. Concannon of Fountain Hills and her family, returned exactly one hour later from the walk that encompasses numerous Fountain Hills sculptures, the lake and Fountain, and also the natural desert Lake Overlook Trail. Jay and Marcia, of the Netherlands, are on a Fountain Hills visit and said they also had fun on the walk. After the walk, Christine Colley was on hand with a New Year’s toast and refreshments with the walkers who learned more about Volkssport.

Colley, president of Fountain Events, Inc., and Loralie Cruz, president of The Saguaro Sun Striders Volkssport Club, formally introduced this walk to Fountain Hills in 2013. Since then visitors from all over the world have registered in Fountain Hills for this walk. The AVA registration box is available in the reception area of the Lakeshore Hotel, whose new owners have agreed to continue to host the registration tool.

There are about 14 designated Volkswalk routes throughout Arizona. A monthly walk is organized by the Saguaro Sun Striders Volksport club. The most popular and informative is the walk around the Arizona Capitol. For information go to clubs.ava.org or email Loralie Cruz at loralie_c@yahoo.com.

Volksmarches, or Volkswalks, began in Germany in the 1960s. These are noncompetitive walking events where everyone is a winner just for registering and completing the event. Events are held throughout Europe, Asia and North America by clubs associated with the International Volkssportverband (IVV).