2024-07-15 09:48:19
Stopped by and stayed
“I can only joke that all roads lead to Alytus. I would never have thought that mine would be brought here, but now I am very happy about it,” laughs a man working as an IT project developer who moved to this city with his family from Vilnius three years ago.
Rimgaudas admits that he was looking for new places where he could live more quietly, have more space and time for his three daughters, but he came to Alytus by chance.
“My wife and I were just passing through this city, and one weekend we decided to stop by and take a closer look. On the same day, we already talked about real estate here and moving to Alytus was a great decision for the whole family”, says the man, who does not regret the changes at all.
Although the case of Leonavičius is exceptional because none of the family members are from Aly or Dzuk, the number of people moving to live here is increasing. This is also shown by statistics – after a long break, the population of Alytus is growing and again exceeded 50,000.
The idea was born after a meeting
This hike is intended to encourage everyone to come and visit or even encourage them to move to live “To Alytus”. If 100 kilometers can be covered on foot, the distance from the capital is much easier to cover by car. Alytus is still a city often overlooked by tourists, although there is definitely something to do here – a camping site opened this year, a museum-café was located in a train carriage, and world-class exhibitions are held in the former synagogue.
“The idea of the hike was born after meeting with friends – I learned that a horse cannot cover such a distance in one go, it needs to be rested or replaced. Surprised, I said “oh I could do that”. That’s how I told myself – I had to prove that I wasn’t lying”, laughs R. Leonavičius.
In the first year, the hiker’s company was supported by friends, and in the second, social partners appeared – the autism support fund “Pokyčių ambasada”.
“The long walk is similar to the walk that families of autistic children take every day. For one, this road is crazy and insurmountable, but with like-minded people and support, it is surmountable and even sometimes fun, because you never know what awaits at the end of the road and you can even surprise yourself. And what about children? We shouldn’t “write them off”, because we don’t know how they will change as we walk through our lives and overcome each stage”, says Klementina Gruzdienė, head of the foundation.
All funds collected during the walk will be used to change public attitudes, speech therapists and occupational therapists for autistic children. During the walk, representatives of the foundation will travel together, who will help cover the kilometers to talk about how important changes are in opening the door to neurodiversity.
Different sections of the hike
Those who want to support both the autism support fund and the idea of inviting people to visit Alytus are invited to join the walk on August 10, Saturday early in the morning. Everyone who has purchased tickets will receive the exact starting point of the hike.
You can hike by choosing a different distance – from Vilnius to Old Trakai (20 km), to Grendaua (50 km), from Grendaua to Alytus (50 km for hikers at night), from Junčioni to Alytus (20 km) or the entire 100 km from Vilnius to Alytus . Rest breaks are planned every 10-15 km. The trek is without accommodation.
The hikers’ meeting is planned for August 11. 11 o’clock on the White Rose Bridge in Alytus.
“Unlike other mass marches, we all march together, adapting to the pace of others, getting to know each other and communicating. After all, the most important thing is not the kilometers covered, but the fun time while hiking,” R. Leonavičius is convinced.
All information about the trek – www.ialytu.lt.
2024-07-15 09:48:19