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Carlisle: Phoenix Children’s Ignite Hope event comes to the Southwest Valley

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Be a light to someone going through a difficult time this holiday season and consider taking part in Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Ignite Hope walk. For the first time this year, the walk is coming to the Southwest Valley.

Participants of the walk receive a battery-operated candle, and many bring other light-up toys. The walk ends at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix — or the West Valley walk Phoenix Children’s Southwest Valley Urgent Care in Avondale — and walkers wave their candles and glow toys to the children inside, spreading hope and kindness to families battling illness over the holidays.

Both walks are 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. The inaugural West Valley walk starts at Canyon Breeze Elementary School, 11675 W. Encanto Blvd., and ends at Phoenix Children’s Southwest Valley Urgent Care, 1665 N. Avondale Blvd. in Avondale. The eighth annual Phoenix walk starts at North High School, 1101 E. Thomas Road in Phoenix, and ends at the Phoenix Children’s main campus, 1919 E. Thomas Road.

While the Southwest Valley Urgent Care is not an inpatient facility, it is open until 11 p.m. and there will likely be children receiving treatment inside during the walk.

Registration for the event is $40 for adults, age 13 and up, and $10 for children. Registration includes a battery-operated candle and an event T-shirt. Adult registration increases to $50 on the day of the event. Child registration increases to $15. Children 3 and younger are free, but do not receive a shirt or candle.

Participants are encouraged to donate beyond their registration fees, as those fees are meant to cover the cost of the events, according to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, which puts on the event. Donations go toward hospital programs like 1 Darn Cool School, which helps students continue their schooling while in the hospital, animal-assisted therapy, music therapy, language services, pastoral care and The Emily Center, which provides families with easy-to-understand information about their child’s illness.

There’s still a long way to go to support these programs. As of deadline, the West Valley walk has not raised any of its $25,000 goal and the Phoenix walk has raised just $7,000 of its $75,000 goal.

To register for either event, visit phoenixchildrensfoundation.org/signature/ignite-hope-2/ . If you can’t make it to the walk but would like to give what you can, select either the Phoenix or West Valley walk on the page linked above and then pick a group or participant through whom to donate.

Be sure to check out the FAQ (frequently asked questions) section at the top of the page as well.

The Christmas spirit isn’t just spread under the tree. Help bring a smile to the face of the children at PCH, and, even though they can’t be home for Christmas, help brighten up their nights this December.