‘Goats on the Go’ gobble unwanted plants at Antrim Park in Columbus
Since Aug. 9, a herd of 20 goats have been at work eating invasive species of plants at Antrim Park in Columbus.
Kidney disease is one of the leading causes of death. The National Kidney Foundation is raising money in central Ohio to stop it.
The foundation is hosting the 2025 Central Ohio Kidney Walk fundraiser on Sept. 28 at McFerson Commons in the Arena District. The 16th annual event to raise money for eliminating kidney disease begins at 8:30 a.m., rain-or-shine.
The 3.1-mile route will feature water and snacks stationed along the way. Strollers, wheelchair-users and leashed pets are invited to join.’
While registration is free, organizers invite central Ohioans to fundraise to support the National Kidney Foundation’s mission of eliminating preventable kidney disease, according to Megan Haggerty, the development manager with the National Kidney Foundation.
Teams account for about 70% of the funds raised in walks, according to the National Kidney Foundation’s website. More than 83 cents of every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting the organization’s services.
“Kidney disease is incredibly prevalent in central Ohio itself; it’s the ninth leading cause of death,” Haggerty said. “It affects 33% of the population with higher chances that it will be prevalent in Black communities, Latino communities, and other minority groups due to health inequities that we know exist.”
As of late August, the central Ohio walk had already raised over $45,000 toward its $97,350 goal.
“We’re hosting it at McPherson Commons this year to bring together a variety of people in the kidney community. It can be kidney patients, people on dialysis, people just starting their journey or friends or families that might have lost a loved one,” Haggerty explained.
“We open the doors to anyone that is interested to participate and wants to join our mission for it.”
Donations can be made online, or checks made payable to “National Kidney Foundation” can be brought to the walk or mailed to “National Kidney Foundation serving Central Ohio” at 1491 Polaris Pkwy, #268, Columbus, OH 43240.
Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.
