Walk a mile for the homeless this Saturday in Elgin, Aurora

What does a homeless person experience on a daily basis, especially in the winter?

Organizers of the annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes fundraisers, set for Saturday in Elgin and Aurora, hope to give participants an idea of the daily trials of the homeless, while raising funds for the Wayside Center in Elgin and Wayside Cross Ministries in Aurora.

"We purposefully picked February, one of the bad weather months, to try and help our volunteers experience what homeless people experience," said Wayside Center coordinator Dave Fassett. "It allows volunteers, in a small way, to experience what homeless people experience every day, being in the elements."

The Wayside Center in Elgin is different from many homeless shelters, such as PADS, which offers a bed and services at night. The center is only open during the day and provides for a number of needs for the homeless, whom they refer to as guests.

"We provide meals, clothing, showers, lockers and, in addition we make available to our guests the opportunity for counseling," Fassett said. "If people need help with a resume, we can tap into our volunteers, and we have 11 Bible studies during the week."

The Elgin walk, which is 1.4 miles long, will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Evangelical Covenant Church at 1565 Larkin Ave.

"There's registration there, a brief program, a little bit of music, a video and we'll have some of the individuals who've benefitted from Wayside tell their stories," Fassett said.

The walk will conclude at Wayside Center at 1732 Berkley where there will be an open house with light refreshments and a short program, along with a raffle before shuttles will return volunteers to their cars at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The Aurora walk is one mile and is sponsored by Wayside Cross Ministries, which is the base for Wayside Center. It will benefit the Urban Youth Ministry and Lifespring, according to Rebecca Monrean, church donor development manager and Urban Youth Ministry coordinator.

"Urban Youth Ministry is for at-risk youth and our Lifespring Ministry is for women with children who have found themselves without housing."

The youth program, she said, includes summer and winter camps, a free baseball program, Bible studies and other activities.

"We serve low-income children, typically out of Brady Elementary. We have after-school programs, we have volunteers that help them with their homework," said Monrean.

"The women's center is transitional living," Monrean said, adding that many of the women come from abusive relationships or are "financially strapped."

"They are also taught Bible-based teaching and then they are taught how to cook, how to keep a checkbook, and sometimes how to be a parent and also job skills," she said.

There will be a pancake breakfast at Wayside Cross Ministries at the conclusion of the walk.

Chris Corsaut is an example of what the Wayside Cross Ministries can do for those in need. Corsaut joined The Master's Touch Program in 2009.

"I went there September 2009 and graduated in March 2010," he said. "It's a Bible-based, Christ-centered program for men on the wrong path to start all over and get a whole new transformation," Corsaut said.

"It's almost like free Bible college," Corsaut said. "They offer you the tools that are there to be successful. It's hard work, but you can make it.

"Men are required to stay sober and are tested," he added. "They have to leave the program and can try again in 30 days (if they test positive) and then you have to start all over again."

Corsaut currently works full-time at Wayside Center and is pursuing higher education as well.

"I'm going to Judson and getting a bachelor's degree in applied psychology and then I'll get my master's in leadership and ministry," he said.

The Elgin Wayside Center is expecting approximately 150 people, while the Aurora Wayside Cross Ministries expects 250, but there is still time to sign up for the walk and add to that number.

"Bottom line is we want to continue doing what we're doing and we can only do that with help from people who do things like walk," Monrean said.

Walk-a-Mile fundraisers

<b>Elgin</b>When: 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13

Where: Evangelical Covenant Church, 1565 Larkin Ave., Elgin

Details and registration: <a href="http://elgin.walk-a-mile-wcm.org">elgin.walk-a-mile-wcm.org</a>/ or (847) 695-4405

<b>Aurora</b>When: 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13

Where: John R. Harkness Family Center, 60 S. Fourth St., Aurora.

Details and registration: <a href="http://aurora.walk-a-mile-wcm.org">aurora.walk-a-mile-wcm.org</a> or (630) 723-3421