Along the route through Burnaby Central Park, walkers stopped to press a stamp into a small paper passport. First documents. First home. First friend. First job. Each stamp marked a milestone in the journey newcomers take when they arrive in Canada, a journey many of the people walking that day had lived themselves.
That was the heart of MOSAIC Moves Walkathon, our very first community walkathon, held on Sunday, August 16 at Swangard Stadium and Central Park in Burnaby. More than 790 people, participants, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and staff, came out to celebrate 50 years of MOSAIC and to bring this year’s anniversary theme to life: Together We Thrive.
The morning opened with a welcome ceremony and a Zumba warm-up to get everyone moving. Then walkers set off. The 5km route followed the perimeter trail around the park, with seven checkpoints tracing the path from arrival to belonging, ending at the one that says it all: calling Canada home. For families and walkers of every pace, a shorter 1km loop kept to the stadium track. However you walked it, the message was the same. Settling into a new country is hard, and no one should have to do it alone.
By midday, Swangard Stadium was full of life. TheBrowniez brought live music, food trucks rolled in, and the kids’ zone buzzed with families as walkers crossed the finish line. Global BC’s Jason Pires kept the energy high as emcee, and in the early afternoon, team awards recognized the fundraisers who went the extra mile. As CBC put it, the focus was “fitness, food trucks and family fun,” even as the day celebrated work that changes lives.
And that work is real. Together, the community raised over $40,000 for MOSAIC’s programs supporting newcomers, immigrants, and refugees. “Our whole name is about the mosaic of Canada, about the different people from different parts of the world, and all coming together to create something so very special,” said Sharon Butler, MOSAIC’s Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships. Over five decades, MOSAIC has helped around half a million people begin their lives in B.C. and Canada.
The day drew coverage from CBC News and OMNI Television, carrying MOSAIC’s story across the region and into the languages of the communities we serve. We were also honoured to welcome community leaders including MP Wade Chang, MLAs Anne Kang and Paul Choi, Speaker of the BC Legislative Assembly Raj Chouhan, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, and City of Burnaby Councillors, and grateful for the support of our sponsors: the City of Burnaby, Langara College, TransLink, and Global BC.
To everyone who walked, cheered, volunteered, and gave: thank you. For 50 years, MOSAIC has grown because people keep showing up for one another. Here’s to the next 50, together.
