More than 5,000 people joined the fourth annual Walk4Friendship on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

The event is sponsored by the Friendship Circle of West Bloomfield, a non-profit organization which provides programming for children with special needs and their families. The walk is being presented by Huntington Bank.

Video – Friendship Circle Annual Walk4Friendship

More than 5,000 people joined the fourth annual Walk4Friendship on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

The event is sponsored by the Friendship Circle of West Bloomfield, a non-profit organization which provides programming for children with special needs and their families. The walk is being presented by Huntington Bank.

The Walk4Friendship is an annual vehicle for volunteers, families and friends of Friendship Circle to show their appreciation and support through an exciting fundraising opportunity. This fun-filled event is attended by a broad cross-section of people who come together to demonstrate their solidarity and support.

The event began at 2:00 PM with the opening ceremony and pep rally, followed by a 5K walk starting at the Jewish Community Center at 6600 W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield and concluding at the Meer Family Friendship Center campus, 6892 W. Maple Road. Participants also have the option of a one mile Family Walk. A variety of family oriented activities, refreshments and entertainment will be available until 5:00 PM.

This years feature entertainer is 13-year old Kodi Lee. Diagnosed legally blind at 3 months and Autistic at the age of 4, Kodi embodies the spirit of Friendship Circle. His love and talent for music has shed light on special needs and the courageous ways to live beyond his challenges. Kodis inspirational story has reached far beyond the local community as he currently is recording with Motown legend, Stevie Wonder.

Registration for the walk is free, and every registered walker receives a free Walk4Friendship T-shirt. Registration opens at 1:00 PM at the Jewish Community Campus. Online Registration is encouraged.

Last years Walk4Friendship drew more than 3,000 participants and raised over $360,000. This year’s goal is $400,000, which will be used to expand the services and activities that the Friendship Circle offers to more than 800 families throughout metro Detroit.

The Friendship Circle, a non-profit organization founded in 1994, has a refreshing approach to helping families of children with special needs. More than 900 volunteers bring the spirit of true friendship and unconditional acceptance to the hundreds of children who participate in over a dozen weekly recreational, social and educational programs, as well as summer and winter camps.

The world renowned 23,000 square-foot Ferber Kaufman LifeTown facility on the Meer Family Friendship Center campus, offers a unique educational setting for thousands of public school students with special needs, who utilize the realistic town setting of the Weinberg Village to practice life skills.

The organization also includes the Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House, which provides assistance and support to individuals and families struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and other related crises. Friendship Circle is a branch of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.