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VT Seva Detroit Youth Led 6th Annual Walkathon
Youth Leading the Way: VT Seva Detroit's 6th Annual Walkathon Inspires Hope
For six consecutive years, the VT Seva Detroit Walkathon has been more than a fundraising event, it has been a platform for young leaders to discover the power of service, inspire their communities, and create meaningful change.
17 Team Leads, 104 Participants, 3840 Miles, $2600+ Raised to support families impacted by cancer
This year's 6th Annual Walkathon continued that tradition with remarkable success.
Led by 17 passionate youth team leads, the walkathon brought together 104 participants who collectively walked an incredible 3,840 miles while raising over $2,650+ to support families impacted by cancer and women's health initiatives through Angels of Hope.
A special highlight of this year's walkathon was the presence of Mr. Sai Abhishek Ji, President of VT Seva Canada, as our esteemed guest. He graciously joined us and kicked off the walkathon with an energizing stretching yoga session, encouraging participants to begin their journey with mindfulness, wellness, and positivity. We are grateful for his support and for strengthening the bond of the VT Seva family across borders.
What made this year's event especially inspiring was seeing our youth leaders take ownership in new and creative ways. From recruiting participants and leading fundraising efforts to producing engaging promotional videos that spread awareness across social media, they demonstrated confidence, creativity, and a genuine commitment to serving others. Their dedication inspired friends, families, and community members to become part of something bigger than themselves.
Parents generously sponsored water bottles, fresh fruits, snack bars, beverages, ice bags, and participant medals, ensuring a wonderful experience for every walker. Our sincere appreciation also goes to our generous sponsors, donors, and long-time supporters whose continued partnership makes our mission possible.
Many participants also chose to support Mrs. Meera Kannan's Memorial Campaign, honoring her through acts of kindness and compassion.
Beyond the numbers, this walkathon reflects six years of investing in youth leadership. Each year, new students step forward, learn to organize, communicate, lead teams, and serve their communities. Guided by dedicated mentors and supported by parents, volunteers, and the broader VT Seva family, these young leaders continue to grow into compassionate changemakers who understand that service is one of the greatest forms of leadership.
We were honored to have Mr. Colin Strate from Angels of Hope join us and share the inspiring mission behind their organization. His words encouraged our participants to continue walking with purpose and compassion.
This year walkathon was made possible by our wonderful team leaders:
Aarushi Gudupaty, Oviya Jaisankar, Saanvi Kalvala, Advay Boda, Sri Vasudha Vundi, Kushi Kanumuri, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Shreya Shetty, Avantika Nair, Rohith Makkena, Shalini Srinivas, Mathilda Kaschube, Kalki Renga, Advithi Kothapalli, Sanjay Ramamoorthy, Arya Cheemalamarri & Teja Cheemalamarri
To celebrate our team leader's commitment, awards were presented in two special categories:
Top Team Leads - Highest Participant Engagement
🥇 1st Place: Aarushi Gudupaty – 13 participants
🥈 2nd Place: Oviya Jaisankar – 10 participants
🥉 3rd Place: Saanvi Kalvala – 7 participants
Top Teams - Most Miles Walked
🥇 1st Place: Aarushi Gudupati – 1221 miles
🥈 2nd Place: Sai Sri Ram Karnati – 532 miles
🥉 3rd Place: Saanvi Kalvala – 440 miles
Thank You
To our youth team leads, participants, parents, volunteers, sponsors, donors, every supporter & VT Seva Detroit Core Team, thank you for making the 6th Annual VT Seva Detroit Walkathon an unforgettable success.
A heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Preethi, Mrs. SnehaPriya, Mrs. Vanitha, Mrs. Priya & Mr. Jaisankar who generously sponsored snacks, water bottles, decorations, fruits, beverages, ice bags, and medals.
Your support behind the scenes helped create a welcoming, well-organized, and memorable experience for every participant.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our donors for their generous support. We would like to specially recognize the following individuals and families for their outstanding contributions toward this year's walkathon: Mr. Pankaj Patel - MI Adventures 23, Mr. Sudhakar Kolluri, Mrs. Jackie Flinchum, Mr. Suresh Kaku, Mrs. Nalini Durga. Mr. David Zarek & Mrs. Vanitha Gopalan. We are equally grateful to every donor, volunteer, sponsor, and participant whose generosity made this event a success.
Reflections:
Over the years, the VT Seva Detroit Walkathon has grown into a platform where youth can lead, innovate, and serve. Hear from our youth team leads as they reflect on their journey, the lessons they learned, and the impact of being part of this meaningful initiative.
Aarushi Gudupaty:
Participating in the VT Seva Walkathon as a team leader was a meaningful and rewarding experience. I was honored to lead the team that achieved the highest number of participants and tracked the most miles, all while supporting cancer fighters in our Michigan community. Seeing so many people come together for a shared cause reminded me of the power of teamwork, compassion, and community. This experience strengthened my commitment to giving back and showed that every step we take can make a difference in someone's life.
Oviya Jaisankar:
I am so grateful to have been in the 6th annual walkathon! I have been a team lead for 6 years now and am truly amazed by how much it has grown. Every year, I am honored to be a part of such a noble and inspiring cause; we are able to change the lives of families impacted by cancer while also improving our own health through a month-long friendly competition of walking. The walkathon has had immense impacts on me not only in these ways but also by improving my communication skills by allowing me to spread the word of what we are doing and what cause we are supporting. I love being a lead in the walkathon every year and look forward to the impact we can continue to make in the years to come.
Saanvi Kalvala:
The walkathon was very impactful to me as a new member of VTS as it allowed me to use my voice to motivate others around me for a cause I want to support. I feel like the walkathon was a great way to bring families together by walking everyday rather then spending time at home. As a new member, this event also taught me how VTS works and operates. Lastly, the competitive aspect of the walkathon made the event more engaging for team leads and their team. I would say that this walkathon was very successful
Advay Boda:
Going to the VT Seva Walkathon was a really fun experience. It felt good knowing that the money we raised was going to help families who are dealing with cancer through Angels of Hope. I liked seeing so many people come together to support a good cause. This event showed me that even small things, like walking and volunteering, can make a big difference. It made me want to help my community more in the future.
Sri Vasudha Vundi:
I felt really glad to be a team lead at the VT Seva Walkathon this year. I loved the idea of a 1-month virtual walkathon, it was such a nice way to build a healthy habit and have fun walking with my family!
As we walked to support Angels of Hope, I observed how small thoughts and ideas can really help personally a lot of families dealing with cancer. It showed me that taking care of the people in our community is very important, and even kids my age can do small things that make a big difference for others.
Kushi Kanumuri:
The walkathon truly shaped me in all sorts of new ways this year. For starters, I was able to improve my communication skills and additionally I noticed the ease in which I was able to speak to others compared to before. Challenging myself to talk to new people, that too for a great cause has also improved my confidence. I am able to approach individuals without the constant fear of rejection and instead started using it as a sign of hope.
I also really pushed myself to talk to a new group of people rather than just the people I talk to every year. This allowed me to inform even more people about this organization, as a result testing my limits and requiring me to break some boundaries I set for myself out of fear.
Overall, this walkathon has improved some key life skills that will help me immensely in the future. On top of that it has highlighted the improvement I have made over the years of doing this fundraiser.
Sai Sriram Karnati:
Participating in the Walkathon in support of Angels of Hope, an organization that helps families affected by cancer, was a truly meaningful experience. More than just completing the walk, it was an opportunity to support a cause that has a real impact on people’s lives. Knowing that our efforts helped raise awareness and directly supported families facing cancer made every step worthwhile. Earning second place was a reflection of my team’s dedication and hard work, but the greatest reward was being able to make a difference. I am grateful to VT Seva and Angels of Hope for giving me the opportunity to be part of such an inspiring initiative.
Shreya Shetty:
Participating in this walkathon showed me how a community can come together to support a cause that impacts so many lives. It was inspiring to see people of all ages united by a shared goal of raising awareness and funds for families affected by cancer. Through this, I realized that making a difference doesn't always require grand gestures. Every participant, volunteer, and donation contributed to something much bigger. Beyond supporting an important cause, the event was filled with positivity and teamwork, making it very meaningful. This experience strengthened my appreciation for community service, and I look forward to being involved in more events that bring people together to create lasting change.
Avantika Nair:
The Walkathon this year was such a fun experience! I had a lot of fun walking with my family during the virtual part and it was great to see everyone come together for the same, great cause during the in-person finale. I also am really grateful that I got the chance to support a family in need through my actions. I’m glad that the Walkathon continues to grow every year and that we can support so many people and create such a positive impact!
Rohith Makkena:
The experience inspired me to reach out to more people to get to sign up for the walkathon, even though it was a challenge trying to get friends to sign up for $20. I still got one friend to sign up and my family members to sign up. Even though my team didn’t have as many members as expected, I was grateful to to lead my team and be able to reach out for such a great cause, which in my opinion was more fun than the walking itself because it meant that I got to spread VT SEVA’s cause as well to others.
Shalini Srinivas:
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the partnership between VT Seva and the Walkathon for Angels of Hope. It was rewarding to contribute to raising funds that support cancer patients and their treatments. In addition to making a positive impact on the patients, this event also encouraged participants to stay active and prioritize their health. Through this experience, I found the motivation to exercise, and my team members were inspired to do the same.
Mathilda Kaschube:
This year’s walkathon was a great experience for me throughout the entire process. It helped me stay committed to my goal of taking a walk everyday. Usually I would have started procrastinating but the Walkathon helped me stay on track and stay motivated.
I learned to stay more consistent, mindful and positive about things. I was also proud and happy of myself, because not only am I doing something I’ve been telling myself to do daily but I’m also benefitting and helping others for doing this, which makes it a way more meaningful experience. I am truly grateful for being able to participate in the Walkathon and I’m looking forward for the next one!
Kalki Renga:
This year's VTSEVA Walkathon was a truly rewarding experience, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to participate as a team lead. Throughout the event, I learned how to encourage and motivate others to stay committed to a shared goal. Convincing teammates to keep walking, running, and logging their miles helped me develop stronger leadership and communication skills.
The Walkathon also taught me discipline. I made it a priority to go out every day to walk or run, and each night I made sure to track my own miles while reminding my teammates to record theirs as well. Staying consistent day after day showed me the importance of accountability, both for myself and for those I was leading.
Overall, serving as a team lead was both fun and fulfilling. I am thankful for the opportunity to take on this responsibility, grow as a leader, and be part of an event that brings people together in support of such a great cause. I look forward to participating again in the future.
Advithi Kothapalli:
This is my third year participating in the Walkathon, and it was truly a meaningful experience for me. Walking alongside so many people who came together to support an important cause was both inspiring and motivating. It also taught me to reach out and connect to new people. This experience also reminded me of the importance of giving back to the community while staying active and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Overall, participating in the Walkathon was both rewarding and impactful, and I look forward to taking part again next year!
Sanjay Ramaamoorthy:
Helping with this walkathon completely changed the way I think about volunteering. Unlike anything I had been involved in before, this event brought together so many people for a cause that impacts countless lives. It was inspiring to see how even small contributions from each volunteer combined to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. Beyond supporting an important mission, I also enjoyed every part of the experience, from working with others to seeing the community come together. Looking back, I'm grateful to have been part of this event and am excited for the opportunity to help organize and participate in similar events in the future.
Anushka Vikram:
Participating in the VT Seva Walkathon was a meaningful experience that reminded me how even small actions can make a real difference. Knowing that every step helped support cancer patients gave the event a much greater purpose. It was inspiring to see so many volunteers, families, and community members come together with a shared goal of helping others.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was the power of collective effort. While one person’s contribution may seem small, many people working together can create a significant impact. The Walkathon also reminded me that behind every fundraiser are individuals and families facing difficult challenges, making our support even more meaningful.
Priya Jaisankar:
For the past six years, I have had the privilege of mentoring our youths in Walkathon. Each year, these incredible young leaders amazed me with their dedication, compassion, and commitment to serving the community.
Watching them grow into confident leaders has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to mentor them and proud of everything we accomplished together.
Thank you to every youth, parent, volunteer, and supporter who made these six years so meaningful. The impact we've created together will always stay with me.
Looking Back
Every walkathon has added another chapter to our story of youth leadership and community impact. We invite you to explore the journey through our previous walkathon blogs by clicking the link below:
Together, these stories showcase how a simple walk has grown into a movement that empowers youth, strengthens communities, and transforms lives.
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