Each June, our Eversource Walk & 5K Run brings together more than a thousand participants from across New Hampshire in a powerful show of community. Among them, the Adult Services Avengers have become a driving force—both in spirit and in participation.
Made up of consumers and staff from every corner of our Community-Based Services programs—including our day programs, residential homes, enhanced family care, and in-home care and health services—the Avengers have grown into one of our agency’s most vibrant and dedicated teams.
The team began in its current form in 2023, uniting what were previously separate regional teams under one name, with one mission. Since then, they’ve become the top team in both participation and fundraising for two years running. In 2024, for instance, the Avengers raised nearly $4,000 and had more than 100 race participants.
Senior Program Coordinator Shannon Warren, who has helped spearhead the unification of the team, says what makes the Avengers so extraordinary isn’t just the numbers—it’s the community. The team includes consumers, direct care staff, clinicians, families, and even children who’ve grown up walking year after year. “It’s the clearest example of what One Easterseals looks like,” she says. “You see people who work together every day, and people who only see each other once a year, all walking side by side for something bigger than themselves.”
One standout team member is Big Shawn, a beloved consumer known for his dedication and energy. On race day in 2023, despite being sick the day before, Big Shawn showed up and powered through a hot day. When he began to struggle, staff helped hydrate him and convinced him to ride partway in a four-wheeler. But when he reached the final hill, he insisted on finishing the walk on his own two feet.
Big Shawn’s determination inspired the entire team, who cheered him on as he crossed the finish line. “That’s who he is,” says Wanda Horton, Coordinator of the program’s Residential Services. “He doesn’t give up.” The following year, Big Shawn returned to the race route with no issues.
Wanda has taken part in the walk for more than two decades, witnessing its evolution from relay races in Durham to today’s energetic gatherings in downtown Manchester. Her children grew up at the walk, pulling wagons, wearing themed shirts, and joining joyful crowds of runners and walkers with identical Easterseals NH t-shirts. “It’s just what we do,” she says. “It’s our Easterseals marathon.”
The walk is more than a fundraiser—it’s a reunion. Consumer participants frequently run into old friends and staff from different programs. Many who started out in Youth Transitional Services now return as adults in Community-Based Services, reconnecting with people who supported them years ago.
The team has worked to make the event inclusive for all. Some in intensive treatment services hold their own satellite walks at home, with help from staff like Senior Director Lea Patnode, ensuring no one is left out.
Wanda also points to consumers like Ryan, who has completed the walk in his wheelchair for years, often accompanied by staff who ride beside him on scooters. It’s about starting together and finishing strong—whatever that journey looks like for each individual.
Shannon sees the walk as a moment for all members of our Adult Services teams to shine. “We’re boots on the ground,” she says. “We’re human services, and we’re out here raising money and showing up in force.” They may be going up against big teams backed by corporate donors like Deloitte or BAE Systems, but the Avengers are building their success on dedication, relationships, and a deep love for the work they do.
Learn more about the annual Eversource Walk & 5K Run for Easterseals NH by visiting eastersealsnh.org/walk.