What Does It Mean When People Say Stride to Serve Is Welcoming?

One of the things we hear all the time about Stride to Serve is that it feels welcoming.

We're grateful when people say that, because it's something we work hard to create.

At first glance, that might not sound like a big deal, most organizations say anyone is welcome to join. But when people talk about Stride to Serve being welcoming – and we hear that a lot - they're talking about something more than just being allowed to participate.

To us, being welcoming isn't passive. It's active.

We genuinely enjoy meeting new people. Seeing a new face at an event isn't awkward or inconvenient—it's exciting. We don't see newcomers as outsiders who need to earn their place in the group. We see them as people we look forward to getting to know, people who have given us the opportunity of their time.

When someone joins us for the first time, we try not to leave them standing there wondering what to do or who to talk to. We introduce ourselves, start conversations, and help them feel comfortable. We want to learn about the people who show up. We want to hear their stories, find shared interests, and discover the things we have in common.

Most of all, we want people to feel like they belong.

Most adults know what it's like to walk into a group where they don't know anyone. Even if everyone is perfectly nice, it can still feel uncomfortable. Making new friends and building new connections gets harder as life gets busier. People have jobs, families, routines, and responsibilities competing for their time and attention.

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That's one reason we try to create something more than a volunteer organization or a fitness group. We're trying to build a community.

It also helps that there's no pressure involved - no attendance requirements, no fundraising quotas, and no expectation you'll come to every event. Show up when you can. Come for the volunteer project, the walk, the run, the conversation—or all of the above.

And it turns out that connecting while walking, running, or working together is surprisingly natural. You're not sitting across a table trying to force small talk. Conversations just happen. Before long, you've spent an hour with someone and learned quite a bit about them without it feeling like work.

The absence of pressure makes genuine connection easier. Relationships grow over time through shared experiences rather than forced networking.

Every Stride to Serve event brings together movement, service, and social connection. Along the way, we get to know one another.

So when people say Stride to Serve is welcoming, that's what they're talking about. It's not just that anyone can join. Lots of groups can say that.

What we're aiming for is something a little different. We want people to leave feeling like they weren't just welcomed—they were genuinely included. Because serving the community matters. But building friendships and community along the way matters too.