Four Natchez volunteers have organized a local walk-a-thon to raise black women’s awareness of the importance of exercise and raise money for charity at the same time.

The event is held annually by the 240-plus U.S. chapters of Links, a nationwide service organization for black women – including the 25-member chapter for Adams, Jefferson, Claiborne, Lincoln and Pike counties.

Mary Lee Davis Toles, Adams County Justice Court judge, is serving as this year’s local chairperson for the Links Walk-A-Thon, which will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Museum of African-American History and Culture on Main Street.

But she is quick to note that organizing the event, which will be held Saturday, has taken hours of work by three other volunteers as well: Honorary Chairperson Carol Brown, immediate Past President Laura Price and Treasurer Ruby Gaylor.

&uot;So many of use do not take care of our bodies, when even 15 minutes of walking is good for you,&uot;&160;Toles said. &uot;And exercise also relieves stress.&uot;

&uot;Part of making sure you’re healthy is exercising,&uot;&160;Brown said. &uot;This is to show women that you don’t have to be sedentary and sit at home. Walking is an activity you can share with others.&uot;

In addition, money raised by registration fees – $10 for adults and $5 for students above age 5 and people 65 and above – will be given to God’s Angelic Warriors, a breast cancer survivor group.

Although registration for the event has been slow so far, Toles said she is looking for more people to sign up on the day of the event and expecting at least 50 people to participate in the one-mile walk-a-thon.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. at the museum. To register in advance, contact Brown at radio station K-104 at 445-9574.

In addition to the walk-a-thon, Links volunteers are also contributing to the building of schools in South Africa. The local Links chapter is working to send books and school supplies to one of the African schools. The group’s other projects include donating food to poor families at Thanksgiving and toys to needy children at Christmas each year.