Walking with a message is.

Stopping traffic and filling streets, an estimated 2,000 men, women and children walked Boyertown in the fourth annual Unity Walk on Sunday.

Stepping to support diversity and tolerance, the walkers drew attention.

Neighbors watched and passing motorists inquired about the event.

Many walkers, including Sarah E. Green, 15, said they participated to help rid Boyertown of its label as a racist community.

"We can show that we are going to support everybody," she said.

When the Unity Walk began in 2003 after a cross-burning incident, about 200 people participated, said Terry L. Wade, chairman of the Boyertown Area Unity Coalition, the nonprofit group that founded the event.

The number of participants has nearly doubled every year.

"It doesn’t matter how many people we have," Wade said. "If we have five people, it’s a good thing."

Below are five area residents who opted to spend their October Sunday walking with a purpose.

As she walked the Unity Walk, Gwendolyn R. Carver, 38, recalled marching as a child with her parents in a push for the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

On Sunday, she was the parent leading her children to walk for a cause.

"If any harm is done to anyone, it is done to me, and I stand against it," said Carver, an Upper Frederick Township, Montgomery County, resident. "I can’t teach my children that and not live it."

This is the fourth year she, her husband and their two children participated.

When they first moved to the Boyertown area from Washington, D.C., Carver was concerned to hear about racism in the community.

To this day, however, she said she has not experienced direct racism. Instead, the community has welcomed her family.

Not in our town.

That’s the message 48-year-old GiGi C. Malinchak says the Unity Walk sends about racism.

Her desire to send that message loud and clear is one reason the Colebrookdale Township resident supports the event with both her feet and her wallet.

Malinchak owns GiGi’s At Home Pet Care, a primary sponsor of the Unity Walk. In addition, she’s on the event’s planning committee.

"I think it’s important to show people that there are a lot of people who are not racist in Boyertown, that we won’t just accept it," Malinchak said.

On Sunday, she walked with family members for what she calls her big cause.

"Racism is something that I can’t tolerate at all," she said, later adding, "I think it’s hurtful, and it’s not necessary."

No gray area here: This issue is black and white to 15-year-old Matt D. Gerhart.

"Racism in general is wrong, and I don’t really think a community is right to accept racism," said the Owen J. Roberts High School sophomore.

Sunday marked the first year he and his twin brother, Greg M., participated in the event.

"There’s all these stereotypes that Boyertown is racist, and this walk is a good way to create a more welcome community for everyone, no matter what race you are," Matt Gerhart said.

Looking around at the people eating together, talking together and otherwise getting along, his brother, Greg, said, "That’s what it’s all about."

"I think it’s a good way for the whole community of Boyertown and the surrounding areas to come together as a community," Greg Gerhart added.

Walking with her husband and children, adopted from Guatemala, Lynn E. Wallace felt encouraged by the crowd around her Sunday.

"I think it’s really important that people foster a diverse community," the 42-year-old Earl Township resident said.

Stereotypes that categorize people by race don’t allow individuals’ gifts to shine, and that is limiting to a community, she added.

"People who can’t tolerate different shades of skin aren’t going to tolerate differences of opinion or anything," Wallace said.

This year, the family, including 6-year-old Duncan and 2-year-old Claire, didn’t partake in the festivities before the walk, which included a bounce house, face paintings and crafts.

They might next year when they return to support the cause.

For Alexander N. Caputo, 9, the Unity Walk is about making people happy about each other.

"We thought it would be cool to go and help," said the fourth-grade Boyertown Elementary School student, who came with a group.

His favorite part of the event was the activities. In one, he traced his hand, cut it out and put it on a paper plate. The craft is called a hand wreath.

Inside Boyertown Junior High West, children also were asked to write on a card something mean they’ve said or something mean that’s been said to them. They then ripped up the cards.

When asked if the Unity Walk is important for his community, Caputo didn’t hesitate.

"Yes, very," he replied. "People shouldn’t be being mean to everybody else just because they look different."

• Contact reporter Michelle Park at 610-371-5022 or mpark@readingeagle.com.