The Great Valley Museum Foundation at Modesto Junior College invites the community to “Walk for the Animals” on Saturday, May 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the MJC West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto. The fundraising walk supports the care of the live animals in the Great Valley Museum. The 2.25 mile walk is open to all ages and will be held on the closed loop road on MJC’s West Campus.

Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Science Community Center, with the walk beginning promptly at 8 a.m. The average time for completion is 30 to 45 minutes. The museum’s live animals will be stationed throughout the walk to cheer on the walkers.

All registered participants receive a medal, boxed water and free admittance to the museum that day. Cost is $25 per participant, ($20 of which is considered a tax deductible donation), and a signed waiver is required at check-in. The walk is limited to a maximum of 200 walkers, so early registration is encouraged.

Registration is available at the museum or online at: www.mjc.edu/gvm.

Children in strollers are permitted with a paid adult. Leashed and people friendly dogs are welcome. (Please bring waste bags to clean up accidents.) The event is a non-timed walk. All participants must be finished with the walk by 9 a.m.

Each year, thousands of young minds receive the benefit of hands-on science activities at the GVM. The museum’s Traveling Teacher programs include live reptiles and insects, current environmental issues and local Native American artifacts, to name a few. The museum also offers group tours, Science on a Sphere shows and planetarium presentations. These programs enhance the educational experience for school children in the Central Valley and assist in addressing the Science Content Standards for California.