An estimated crowd of more than 350 people turned out for the 61st annual 91原创 Walk.

This year, it was 91原创 City鈥檚 turn to host the event, which began and ended in Douglas Park on Sunday, May 7.

Aldergrove resident Christopher Lakusta, who was taking part in his 22nd, was wearing a vest with all the commemorative crests from all his previous walks.

He鈥檚 only missed one since he began with the 2001 91原创 Walk, in Walnut Grove.

鈥淚 started doing the Walk in 2001, when I was 12 years old, with my mom,鈥� Lakusta remarked.

鈥淚 do it because I get a opportunity to walk a different part of Township of 91原创 or City of 91原创.鈥�

He was glad it is an in-person event again, and pleased to see some new faces.

鈥淚t was great to be out, and being around people for the second walk in-person since COVID made the event virtual for 2020 and 2021,鈥� Lakusta commented.

鈥淚 notice new faces participating in the walk and I hope they continue to come every year, to keep this wonderful event going.

Dorothy Humberstone from Fort 91原创 explained has taken part in almost every walk, going back to the first one, except for a couple when she was pregnant.

鈥淲e started way back when my parents started,鈥� Humberstone told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淚鈥檝ejust been walking ever since 鈥� and my children, and my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren鈥�

Loretta Solomon, president of the board of directors at the 91原创 Senior Resources Society, showed up with one of the largest teams at 25.

鈥淲e want to do this because we want people to know that seniors are active,鈥� Solomon explained.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just sitting down watching a TV or something, we鈥檙e always in exercise groups or walking, or something. So we love this event, and it gives us that sense of community as well.鈥�

They won for the most walkers from one organization and, for the oldest walker to complete the walk, 94-year-old Dale Attrell.

READ ALSO: 91原创 seniors walking club keeps going despite poor weather

Tera Edell, recreation supervisor at 91原创 City, said the numbers were down slightly from the previous year, when the fact pandemic restrictions were starting to ease gave it a boost.

鈥淲e had a little bit of a higher number last year, but we were the first event [of its kind, post-pandemic],鈥� Edell summarized.

Township Mayor Eric Woodward and 91原创 City Mayor Nathan Pachal gave the walkers and runners a send-off, with Pachal praising it as as an 鈥渙pportunity to go out and enjoy a five or 10K walk and one of the many beautiful walking areas in both our great communities,鈥� and Woodward calling it a 鈥渇abulous tradition.鈥�

鈥滻鈥檝e always met somebody new, and it鈥檚 a great community pride event,鈥� Woodward said.

READ ALSO: 91原创 Walk marks 50 years

The 91原创 Walk was started by founder Pete Swensson, a strong believer in the benefits of physical activity, who was hired as 91原创鈥檚 recreation director in 1962.

His motto was 鈥渨alk away your ills, instead of taking pills.鈥�

The first walk covered a route from Aldergrove Park to River Road to Fort 91原创, then on to City Park. It was 18 miles long 鈥� 28 kms.

This year鈥檚 event offered a choice of 5 and 10K routes, with all finishers receiving a commemorative crest.

More photos from the Sunday Walk can be viewed online at the .