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VALLEY — A kickoff meeting took place Tuesday evening at Valley Haven School to start the planning for this year’s 47th running of the Hike/Bike/Run fundraiser for the school.

LaFayette Day will be taking place on Saturday, April 8th, the auction on Friday, April 21st and the Hike/Bike Run on Saturday, May 6th.

The fundraising goal is $100,000. Until Covid hit in 2020, that goal was exceeded for more than 30 years in a row. Fundraising lagged that first Covid year but has been coming back the past two years with a combined total of more than $190,000 being raised in 2021 and 2022.

The Hike/Bike/Run is the largest fundraiser of the year for Valley Haven. What’s raised locally can be matched with state and federal grants on a 4-to-1 basis.

In 2020, most fundraising events were canceled due to the pandemic. Even so, more than $36,000 was raised.

Things were more normal in 2021, but the Hike/Bike/Run suffered a setback with the cancellation of LaFayette Day due to stormy weather. Despite that, more than $103,000 came in that year.

Last year’s LaFayette Day generated approximately $11,000 and the auction brought in close to $14,000.

For a number of years the auction had taken place inside Valley Community Center. Last year it switched to the school.

“It went really well, and we are planning on doing it back here again this year,” said Valley Haven Executive Director Craig Brown.

The auction items are gathered at the school prior to the auction day. Having the auction there avoids having to transport them all to a different location.

One change to take place this year involves the annual Jane Carmack Memorial Walk. In previous years, this walk started in West Point and proceeded an estimated seven miles to Valley Haven School. “We will be doing it near the school this year,” Brown said. “We’ve mapped out a course that goes by Lakeview Cabin and back to the school. It will be close to the distance of previous walks.”

The walkers will be receiving police escorts along the way.

The Jane Carmack walk honors the memory of a very dedicated supporter of Valley Haven School and the Hike/Bike/Run.

As it has been in recent years, the start/finish line for the Hike/Bike/Run’s walking and running events will be located near the junction of Ram Stadium Drive and Fairfax Bypass, a short distance away from Valley Haven School. The running events include a one-mile run, a 4k run, one-mile and five-mile walks, a 10-mile bike ride and a kids’ ride in front of the school. Any youngster on a small bicycle, scooter or battery-powered ride will be welcome to take part.

The final event of the day will be a 5k run.