SPRINGFIELD – Dakin Humane Society will be hosting a 31-Day Challenge beginning on May 1 to raise funds and celebrate the human-animal bond. During the virtual event, participants will be able to walk, run, do yoga, bike or spend time with their pet to count toward their activity goal for the month. Participants can also reach out to friends, family and more to help raise money for the Humane Society.

Although the event won’t take place in person due to COVID-19, Dakin will post activity ideas, weekly mini-challenges to win prizes, suggested routes to walk on and tips to help stay motivated and reach activity and fundraising goals.

Registration for the 31-Day Challenge is $10. According to Kaitlyn Holloway, development and event coordinator at Dakin, the funds raised from this event will go toward programs at the Humane Society that help support the human-bond and keep people and pets together.

Holloway said that it has been hard to feel connected over the past year with the pandemic, but she is hoping this event will change that. According to Holloway, the 31-Day Challenge will give people in the community a way to connect and engage with each other even in a virtual way. Participants will be able to inspire each other, encourage, support, cheer each other on and spend more time with their pets in the process.

She said that Dakin has worked to make this event as easy and accessible to all as possible.

“It’s a way that we are encouraging health and wellness in a positive way by allowing people to choose what feels right for them,” she said. “It differs in a way from those run or walk challenges that you typically see. We wanted to be as inclusive as possible and encourage health and wellness in a variety of ways.”

Holloway said that people are encouraged to set their activity goal to what feels right for them, but Dakin will also have suggestions on their website.

“It’s really up to each person what they want to set their goal at. We’re collectively trying to reach 100,000 minutes of being active to celebrate the human-animal bond, but each person is going to come up with their own separate goal along the way,” she said.

Dakin also has a fundraising goal of $20,000 for the month-long event. Holloway said that there will be incentives and encouragement throughout the month in the form of T-shirts, water bottles, jackets and more as possible fundraising prizes.

With this new, virtual event, Holloway said she is excited to see the creativity of the community.

“I am the most excited to see the creativity of our community to come up with different ways to challenge themselves and I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with people and giving them opportunities to connect with their pets, but I do want to underscore that pets are not a requirement to participate. We are celebrating the human-animal bond that really all animal lovers know. So you’re able to incorporate your pet, but it’s not required,” she said.  

Those interested in registering for the event can do so at http://bit.ly/31-DayChallenge. More information can also be found on the Dakin Humane Society website at www.dakinhumane.org.