PHILADELPHIA- On Sunday, April 28th, the beautiful spring weather provided a perfect back drop as members of the North Penn’s National Honor Society completed their annual chapter-wide service project at the For Pete’s Sake, Walk! event hosted at Citizen’s Bank Park.

For Pete’s Sake, Walk! is hosted by “Take a Break From Cancer,” an organization dedicated to funding respite vacations for terminally ill cancer patients and their families. Last year’s walk fundraised enough money to send more than 190 families on unforgettable vacations to the destination locations of Florida and the Caribbean.

Participants took part in a three-mile walk around the premises of Citizen’s Bank Park ending in Phillies’ dugout for a photo opportunity with the Phillie Phanatic. Stations distributing refreshments including Dunkin Donuts coffee, pretzels, tomato pie, Johnson’s Popcorn, potato chips, and a variety of baked goods were situated along the the route.

NHS members helped to execute the event flawlessly by setting up, face-painting, serving as field guides, checking in and registering participants, handing out t-shirts, applying temporary tattoos, acting as crowd-controllers, and cleaning up after runner’s crossed the finishline. According to NHS President Sydnee Jacques, this year’s event was exponentially better than last year’s walk which took place in torrential downpour.

“I would say the the event was even more successful this year than last year. The weather was great and people just seemed so much happier. There was so much positive energy being passed around that nobody could have felt uncomfortable,” said Jacques.

National Honor Society prides itself on members who uphold four pillars: Scholarship, leadership, service, and character. While also providing a great time for all involved, volunteering at fundraising events like these combine all the elements of NHS.

“Sometimes NHS members get a little too caught up in their schoolwork, friends, and other things in their lives and they forget about the other people in the world and the hardships that they face,” explained Jacques. “I think it’s very important for NHS members, and all students really, to volunteer in order to be aware of the other six billion people in the world and realize that even in this big world, the smallest and most thoughtful gesture is always appreciated. For Pete’s Walk, I think, definitely opened the eyes of many NHS members who had never volunteered for that type of cause before.”