WILLIAMSBURG— In one month, Bob Mahr will head out on his annual “Pilgrimage to Serve” walk. Mahr will walk the entire length of the Virginia Capital Trail all while raising money for the Williamsburg House of Mercy.
Mahr started the walk in 2024 after being inspired by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Theodore Roosevelt, and their desire to challenge the military to keep up with physical fitness standards
Mahr will start walking on May 2 at midnight, beginning in Richmond. The trek will take him along 52 miles before it wraps up in Jamestown.
The goal of the trek is to raise funds for a local charity that is close to his heart: The Williamsburg House of Mercy.
The Williamsburg House of Mercy is a nonprofit organization that provides food, shelter, and support services to people in need in the Greater Williamsburg area. Founded in 1979, it offers programs such as a food pantry, soup kitchen, homeless day shelter, and assistance for families in crisis, with a mission to help individuals move toward stability and self-sufficiency.
With his walks in 2024 and 2025, Mahr has raised over $16,000 for the organization.
During this year’s walk, Mahr is not only asking for donations, but for people to join him for a mile or two on the trail to experience the magic that happens once a year during this trek.
“If you want to join us, have somebody drop you off wherever we are. Just message me and ask where we are. Have someone drop you off, you can walk with us for one hour, two hours, three hours, and then text your ride and they can just pick you up. It’s completely fluid,” Mahr said.
Mahr also leaves memory stones and prays for someone at each mile marker along the route.
“Last year we added in the element of a spiritual pilgrimage part. It took the walk to a whole new level. So again, we will have prayer, reflection, place memory stones and dedicate miles for donors,” Mahr said.
As he walks, Mahr often checks in with Facebook Live and LinkedIn Live updates. He shares with his followers how the walk has been going, answers questions, and talks about the charity during his live updates.
“These videos help to promote what I’m doing. The beauty with this walk is that I’m getting donations from around the country. I’ve had a few people from Canada. I’ve even had a couple people donate to a charity local to them but in honor of what I was doing,” Mahr said.
Once Mahr arrives in Jamestown, he invites the public to a gathering at Billsburg Brewery for a celebratory beer. Current plans indicate that Mahr should be arriving around 6 p.m on the day of the walk.
Donations can be made towards Mahr’s efforts online.