Dr. Stephanie Rhoads, of Rhoads Orthodontics, works on Marty the Martian with Mars school board member Christine Valenta Feb. 4 as part of a fundraising campaign. The Mars Area Foundation is putting together a month-long community walk event, with sponsors hosting Marty to raise awareness of the campaign.

13,263 miles — that's the circumference of the Red Planet.

It's also the number of miles that leaders of the Mars Planet Foundation are hoping to see walked in the community from March 29 through May 10 during the event Walk Around Mars.

Event organizers hope the virtual walks provide several benefits for the foundation.

First, they aim to raise money for teacher grants and student scholarships. Second, they want to challenge the community to work together toward a common exercise goal.

“There is a health component (and) there is a school component,” said Christine Valenta, a member of Mars Area School Board and the sponsor coordinator for the foundation.

“You can do it at your leisure,” said Carol Knox, a foundation member.

The virtual walk was developed by foundation leaders after the foundation needed to cancel its annual golf outing last year.

The outing usually helps the foundation fund grants for district teachers looking to provide programming for students outside of their class curriculum.

It also provides funding for several scholarships awarded to seniors furthering their education.

The foundation is hoping to use registration fees and sponsorships from the Walk Around Mars event to make up for last year's lost funds.The event is actually poised to get more people involved in the annual fundraising campaign, according to Valenta and Knox.“I do believe this has the potential to raise more money,” Valenta said. “There's only a certain group of people the golf outing attracts.”Valenta said the event has been planned to also support local businesses. With the impacts of the pandemic, she said it's important for the community to join forces with business owners.One way to see this happen is by using the walk's mascot, Marty the Martian, to recognize business sponsors.After all, the event is about community. Miles will be logged as a group, meaning the total miles walked by participants will be added together in an effort to reach the end goal of 13,263 miles.“It's going to be a fun community event,” Knox said.The event includes three theme weeks. During these, participants are encouraged to follow the theme and submit entries on the foundation's social media pages for extra prizes.Awards will also be given to those who meet fundraising and registration milestones.The foundation is also planning to spotlight alumni by inviting them to join the virtual walk wherever they are.Valenta said the idea is to have alumni submit photos of their walks and share where life has taken them.Overall, the foundation wants people to be involved with the walk however they can.“I'm hoping with more enhanced donations, teachers will keep coming forward (for grants),” Valenta said.Knox said it's important to remember who the foundation ultimately helps.“It's for the kids,” Knox said. “And that's what's most important.”Event registration opens Feb. 17 and runs through March 3.Visit marsplanetfoundation.org for more dates and information.

Mars school board member, Christine Valenta drops of Marty the Martian at Rhoads Orthodontics in Cranberry Twp, to raise awareness of Mars Area Foundation fundraising campaign, Thursday, February 04, 2021.