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Faculty > Alumnus walks nearly 100 miles to benefit American Red Cross
Alumnus walks nearly 100 miles to benefit American Red Cross
February 29, 2016
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Georgia Southern Alumnus Dal Cannady makes a stop during his annual Walk for the American Red Cross.[/caption]
Dal Cannady, WTOC’s bureau chief and Georgia Southern alumnus (‘90), is in the midst of his seven day Heroes Walk for the American Red Cross. For the fifth year in a row, Cannady is walking around the southeast region of the state to raise money and awareness for the American Red Cross’ disaster response efforts. This year’s walk began Feb. 24 in Hazlehurst and will end on March 1 in Statesboro. Cannady’s walk has earned more than $38,000 in donations over the years and he hopes to continue increasing his goal each year. At Georgia Southern, we spoke with Dal to find out more about how this experience has shaped him, and why the cause is so important to him.
Georgia Southern: Why are you passionate about this cause in particular?
Dal Cannady: If you’re in the local news business, a lot of your assignments involve house fires, flooding, tornadoes and other small-scale disasters. You see families get impacted, and their devastation sometimes goes unnoticed. There’s a house fire almost every night; it’s not always news. The Red Cross recognizes that these people don’t receive the large donations that we see with large-scale natural disasters, and they do their best to help. The money has got to come from somewhere. Even if it’s a small thing, a shirt and pants for someone who has nothing left while they wait on their insurance, you know you’re putting them in a hotel for a night and making a small gesture with bigger significance. That’s why I love the Red Cross.
GS: How did you come up with the idea to walk for the cause?
DC: In 2012, I was on the advisory board for the Bulloch County chapter of the Southeast and Coastal Georgia Red Cross. We were trying to come up with a new fundraising idea to raise awareness in smaller communities. So many fundraisers happen in the big cities, but smaller communities often get left out of the fundraising process. This was about the time that video capabilities on smartphones was becoming popular, and the idea came about to utilize live broadcasting from our phones to document an awareness walk throughout our region. We initially hoped to raise $1,000 for the Heroes campaign, and the initial walk in 2012 raised $4,000.
GS: How did you decide where to stop?
DC: The first time we ever did this, we decided I should walk 12 miles a day, 84 miles total. From then on, we tried to match the number of miles with the anniversary for our Red Cross chapter, so we bumped it up to 93, 94 and so on. We really wanted access to more towns and to be seen by more people. We made stops along the way and have added a fundraising event in each town we stop. We tried to pick mom-and-pop restaurants or late-open local businesses that will allow me to serve as a waiter or host for the evening. Our stops are really steered by the geography of our region and around businesses that are kind enough to be flexible with this effort.
GS: How has your walk helped to raise awareness? Do you think you’ve started a legacy/tradition?
DC: We’ve broken records for fundraising in our chapter with this walk, and I’m so proud of that. We’ll see how long this particular fundraiser lasts after next year, as that will be my final year participating when the Southeast and Coastal Georgia Chapter of the Red Cross celebrates its 100th anniversary. My knees have really taken a beating. I hope people will recognize the need to carry this on, even if it’s by using another unique means of raising money and awareness. You’ve got to be a resource to help people because one night it could be you. I think this walk has helped some people to realize that.
GS: What’s your favorite memory from the walks so far?
DC: One memory that has really stuck with me was from the first year ever doing this. The folks at the Red Cross office in Savannah were largely reliant on online donations, and their goal was always to top previous online donations. When they heard that we have exceeded the online goal, they were thrilled. They had no idea that along the way I was collecting money and checks, each with a heartfelt, tearful story. The face-to-face donations were quickly outpacing the online donations. My favorite memory was when I reached the finish line on the seventh day, and they were congratulating me for the online sales. I handed them a paint can full of cash, and it blew their minds. I love that story because it reinforces the need for a personal connection. It makes a real difference.
If you would like to donate to the Dal Cannady Walk, visit https://www.crowdrise.com/dalcannadywalkinsupportoftheamericanredcross.
