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Baltimore Area Organizations Hold Virtual Fundraisers During Coronavirus Pandemic

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- With a stay at home order in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, many local organizations are getting creative with fundraising events they've spent months planning.

Spring has sprung, and with temperatures inching toward perfect, it's the time of year many organizations hold fundraising and awareness walks.

"Roar for kids, that benefits the Kennedy Krieger Institute, has been going on for 16 years, rain for shine, at the Oregon Ridge Park," Lisa Nickerson, of Kennedy Krieger, said.

And this year, the show will go on, but a little bit different from years past. On April 25th, instead of laps around the park, participants will take laps virtually at home.

"Our first and foremost consideration is our children and our families," Nickerson said.

Nickerson also said the decision to go virtual was easy, and allows them to continue to raise essential funds.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

"If people were going to be in their homes with their children, maybe we can make this a fun family activity where you challenge your kids to run up and down the stairs, or you run around the yard together. You do some selfie's, you do a FaceTime live video," Nickerson said.

Roar for Kids isn't the only walk going virtual. In support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, GBMC HealthCare's 5th annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes," is also switching up their format.

"The only thing that we were concerned about was whether the public would respond the way that they do with the in person event, and today it seems like they absolutely have,"

"We're really excited, we hope everyone will log on and that we don't skip a beat, and we don't skip a beat without funding because we're able to do a lot of this virtually,"

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event was held Saturday morning. You can still donate to that organization by clicking here.

The event raised $67,271 as of Sunday morning, and 207 people were registered with over 200 submissions and a total of 1,597 miles.

Roar for Kids is on April 25. There's still time to sign up.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

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