By SALLIE SATTERTHWAIT
sallies@juno.com

Volksmarch. Now there's a word Peachtree City residents haven't heard for awhile.

A German custom popularized in this country by returning military families, a Volksmarch (pronounce the first syllable “folks”) was simply a group of people out for a walk. The only difference between a Volksmarch and just walking to digest your Sunday dinner was that it was at a previously agreed-upon time and became a social event for families and neighbors.

Or so one might conclude on casual observation. In actuality, many Volksmarchers are members of loose-knit clubs who know where 10K trails have been identified and who keep personal distance records by the honor system. They participate in Year-Round-Events (YREs) on an individual basis, periodically coming together for special pre-planned events.

Earlier in Peachtree City's history, groups from all over would converge on its famous cart paths and spend a Saturday or Sunday walking through piney woods and wetland verges. Peachtree City will be the site once again for a Volksmarch, this one part of the Georgia Games set for July 22 and 23.

A Bicycle Moto-Cross event will take place the same weekend at the William L. Davis BMX Facility here. Chuck Lear, who has racked up an impressive 12,000+ K in more than 1,000 such walks, is state chairman for the event. This non-competitive walk, like the YREs that individuals or small groups do, is very relaxed, he said, and has few rules and regulations. There are no restrictions by age or ability, for example.

While many Volksmarch courses are wheelchair accessible, Peachtree City's is problematic for its occasional rough paths, which are not considered fully accessible as streets or sidewalks would be. But persons in wheelchairs certainly will not be turned away, Lear said. Participants are encouraged to purchase record books for $5 if they don't already have them, and there is a modest registration donation, mostly for record-keeping, but these expenditures are not required.

Whole families often walk, Lear said, with only a parent officially logging kilometers. The participation fee, however, does provide walkers' insurance. “We're starting at the [Frederick Brown Jr.] Amphitheater parking lot,” Lear said. “You can start any time between 8 a.m. and noon, and you should be back by 2:30 to get your [record] books stamped. But we're not strict about the time.

“There's really no way to guess how many people will be here. We have anywhere from 70 to 100 that usually come out for a walk — a lot depends on the weather,” he said.

The route for the July Volksmarch is different from either of the two YRE trails in Peachtree City. Those begin at Braelinn Village Center, simply because the Kroger there allows the Georgia Walkers, a McDonough club, to keep its box inside at the pharmacy. It contains all the instructions and directions walkers need to follow a 10K (six-mile) trail that brings them back to their starting point.

With enough K's logged, walkers send their records to the national headquarters of the nonprofit American Volkssport Association in Universal City, Texas, to receive certificates. Pins signifying milestones are issued and a regular newsletter is available. “It's just a personal thing,” Lear said, “to keep track of how many YREs or events you've done and how far you've gone.”

Lear said Volksmarches occasionally feature a “gimmick,” such as walks in all 50 states, or in the 13 original colonies (which, of course, include Georgia), or a lighthouse walk. Local trails have particular attractions, “of historic, scenic, or local pride,” he said.

For instance, towns like Newnan, McDonough and Fayetteville, where the trail starts at the Holiday Inn Express, route walkers through historic residential areas. The trail in Helen, Ga., makes it easy to stop at the Unicoi Lodge for lunch and a nice break from a mountain walk.

Fort McPherson, with lots of structures on the National Register of Historic Places, offers an historically interesting venue. Upcoming adventures on a grander scale include walks in Hawaii, Australia, ancient Mediterranean islands, and the Alps, according to a pamphlet distributed by the AVA.

“The whole thing is just to get people out,” said Lear, a Peachtree City resident whose club is the McIntosh Trail Walkers. The Georgia Games, this year celebrating its 10th anniversary, was established by the governor's office. More than 12,000 athletes are expected to participate in the championships. Although patterned after the Olympics, it is not affiliated with the international games, Lear said. “It is an official state of Georgia function, with districts throughout the state, and people competing in different events.”

Forty-three events, to be exact, which include archery, arm wrestling, badminton, fencing, judo, lacrosse, mountain biking, rock climbing and table tennis, as well as team sports like basketball, softball, rugby and soccer. Oh, and “ultimate Frisbee.”

Many of the sports have parallel events for persons in wheelchairs. Volksmarching is the only event that is non-competitive. Even though 32,000 people participated in 160 district events leading up to last year's championship competitions, the Games are not well-known in the Atlanta area. Lear said he believes that professional sports' domination of Atlanta news draws recognition away from the Games.

“The summer Games were in Augusta last year,” he said, “and every night there was a big write-up in the newspaper there, just pages and pages.” Lear noted that he needs volunteers to help in July. They needn't be walkers; in fact, their main responsibility will be to sit, in the shade, stamping record books for walkers. He promises a Georgia Games T-shirt to anyone who gives five hours or more on either day, but said he'd be grateful for just a couple of hours.

To volunteer, or for further information and entry forms for the Volksmarch, call Lear at 770-631-8543. The Games web site is at www.georgiagames.org, and the AVA site is at www.ava.org.