Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir launches 2025 Annual Walkathon

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The Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir along with its parent organization, BAPS Charities, launched on Sunday, March 23, 2025, the registration drive for their 2025 annual walkathon to be held on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

The walkathon parading on the local streets of Flushing will provide a platform to unite for the greater good of all, as per the teaching of their spiritual teacher Pramukh Swami, who gave the motto ‘In the Joy of others, lies our own!’, according to Dr. Vipul Patel, Administrator of the Temple Outreach Committee. Patel told News India Times participants join to experience a healthier lifestyle and share in the spirit of service which is one of the founding principles of Swaminarayan Sampradaay.

The Flushing Mandir has been organizing the walkathon from the year 2000, said Patel. The event is organized for the local community to unite and to promote local and national organizations, he said.

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There are many different local beneficiaries of the Walkathon, Patel said. “We have been supporting the local NYPD Precinct 109, the Flushing Hospital, the Flushing Public Library and more,” he said. He spoke particularly of special books and Amar Chitra Katha which are lapped up quickly by the library.

The Flushing Mandir raises the funds required for organizing the Walkathon, and donating a designated amount to the designated local organizations. The Mandir would welcome donors to participate in its humanitarian cause, Patel said. Last year’s Walkathon was for the benefit of the 109^th Police Precinct Community Council and Holy Civic Association in Queens, NY, Patel informed.

The Flushing Walkathon begins at the Swaminarayan Mandir on Bowne Street, walking to Sanford Avenue and then to Main Street. From there, the walk turns to 45^th Avenue, Kissena Boulevard, Holly Avenue and back to the Mandir at Bowne Street, making a complete circle of the Mandir’s neighborhood.

With more than 350 participants, the Walkathon last year included young children and seniors, and office holders and dignitaries including the Deputy Consulate General of India Varun Jeph, NY State Senator John Liu, Council Member Sandra Ung, Judge Amish Doshi, Judge Cassandra Johnson and Holy Civic Association President Denise Winters.

Similar walkathons take place all across the US in cities with BAPS Temples. This initiative of BAPS Charities is much appreciated. BAPS Charities is a 501(c) (3) registered nonprofit international charity organization committed to caring for individuals, families, and communities.

BAPS Charities is a part of the national BAPS organization, and has organized over 1,000 such Walkathons in the last 20 years, benefiting local hospitals, children’s organizations, schools, for specific causes including cancer cure and environmental causes, according to BAPS website.

BAPS Charities has worked in India providing disaster relief, building schools and awarding scholarships. On the Environmental side, BAPS Charities has planted 2 million trees worldwide, participated in water and electricity conservation and recycling projects. Their Healthcare work includes blood donation drives. Recently, their Humanitarian relief provided meals, accommodations and medical assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Ukraine, and also providing hurricane relief across the US.

“At the Flushing Mandir, we try to improve on our own performance of the previous year’s Walkathon,” Patel said.

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