Walk Around Florida History

WAF started as Walk Across Florida in 1990 by the Patrick Pacers, Mid Florida Milers, and Suncoast Sandpipers. The opening of the Mid Florida Milers developed a chance for the 3 clubs to have walks in the scheme of Walking Across Florida in alternative years West to East and East to West. Labor Day weekend was chosen, and the 1st event was that weekend in 1990. With 300 participants at each walk the success of the event was assured. The Happy Wanderers joined the event when the Pacers dropped out.

Walk themes and walk fun and lunches/food characterize the WAF Events. There have been 35 walks associated with events. Three clubs come together in the late spring to provide the management and thematics for these fun walks.

Lunches, dinners, prewalk parties, Meet and Greets, and Art auctions are all part of the imagination and fun of these events.

Each event theme has an award, sometimes 3 per event and other times 1 for the whole event.

The events started with each club developing a walk in their area. The events alternated starts on the west and east coasts. The 2d day was in the Mid Florida Milers area and there was a dinner generally on the evening before the Saturday start. Walks were accompanied by lunches and great fun and friendship. These events continued through WAF XVI in 2005 where all walks had a 16 km route.

In 2006 the three clubs started a Walk AROUND Florida starting in Inverness whereby chance the New Nature’s Coast club started in May. The concept was to hold the walk with a single start point and visit different areas of Florida. The walks have had great attendance and much friendship.