Five years ago, four friends participated in Concord Hospital’s Rock ’N Race virtually due to the pandemic. We adopted the name The Forest Bathers after the Japanese term coined for the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest to boost well-being in a natural way. Annie, Buzz, Peg and Deb had started walking together as an attempt to stay connected despite the necessary mitigations of the Covid era. We explored new mountain trails, traversed several rail trails and greenways, and strolled around new and familiar neighborhoods. Consequently, we deepened our connections, gained insights into life’s challenges, and developed a defense against the anxieties of our tumultuous times. Collectively we had either experienced a cancer diagnosis, had family or dear friends lose a battle to cancer or been a primary support person to others affected. The Rock ’N Race presented us an opportunity to support those battling this horrible disease and honor those who had unfortunately succumbed to the disease. Rock ’N Race provides more than 50 percent of the funding for the programs and services of the Hope Resource Center at the Payson Center at Concord Hospital. Services include education, support groups, nutritional counseling, complementary therapies, funds for out-of-pocket expenses and more. Proceeds of this event support services to cancer patients and survivors in a way that dignifies people and treats them with the utmost care and sensitivity from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. Please know that all donations to this cause are meaningful and immeasurably valuable to the recipients. Now we are again reaching out to you as a family member, friend or someone who has supported us in our life’s challenges. We would love to have you join our team, the Forest Bathers and walk /run with us on Wednesday, May 7th at 6pm. If you’re not ready to walk or are unable to join the team that day, we’d appreciate for you to consider a donation to the cause. And here’s an additional challenge—invite a friend to join the team. Last year, the Forest Bathers had 33 team members; let’s add more participants this year! We raised over $ 6850 last year and would love to surpass that amount this year. The community raised $339,000 from the event. Together we can make such a difference. Early registration (before March1st) costs $35. After March 1st, the cost will be $40. Online registration closes on May 2, 2025. T-shirts are available with team registration before April 11th. If you miss this deadline, you can still register for $40 in person the day of the event on Capitol Street, but no t-shirt. Paper registration forms are available at The Trust Office for $35. Children 14 years and younger may register for $15.
To join our team, use this link: https://runsignup.com/Race/NH/Concord/RockNRace and hit the JOIN tab.
Participants who join our team prior to April 8th will get a t-shirt with our name on the back.
To make a donation to our team, use this link: https://runsignup.com/forestbathers/Donate and hit the DONATE tab.
Thank you for reading our story and considering this special cause.
Best, Annie, Buzz, Peg and Deb
