CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Ragged Mountain Running & Walking Shop co-owner Audrey Lorenzoni Sackson is preparing to walk 25 miles for a cause close to her heart – raising funds and awareness for Innisfree Village.

Sackson will walk 25 miles, a 1/2 mile for each of Innisfree’s residents, on Aug. 16, in a 5-mile loop from the Ragged Mountain store through UVA’s Grounds and the Fry Spring neighborhood. Different friends, family and other supporters will join her over the course of the five 90-minute loops, with the goal of raising $2,500 for Innisfree Village.

Located in Crozet, Innisfree Village is a residential community founded in 1971 for adults with intellectual disabilities, providing work and connection it residents.

The 550-acre property is home to 40 co-workers, plus 20 volunteers who commit to live in the village for one year. There are also 10 day campers who live off-site. Referred to as co-workers, the village residents rotate through workstations on most weekdays, spending time in vegetable gardens, woodshops and weaveries to keep the community self-sustained and running smoothly. They also often go on outings in the Charlottesville and Richmond area with volunteers.

“Everyone in the community are finding ways they can really contribute,” Innisfree Executive Director Rorie Hutter told Cville Right Now. “We feel there’s an empowerment that goes along with seeing the meaning of your work.”

For Sackson, who has known of Innisfree all her life and has served as a board member since 2024, being a local business owner has been a bridge for her volunteering efforts.

She first thought of ‘Walk with Innisfree Village’ as “fundraising Ragged Mountain style,” and that walking was an accessible way to bring supporters together as they can pick different time slots for loops, which range from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“I grew up next door to someone that is a day student,” Sackson said. “It’s really a special place out there.”

Sackson hopes the walk will spark conversation, particularly with those who do not know about Innisfree, and connect people with a unique place.

“It’s brought light to Innisfree to people that don’t know about it and don’t know necessarily what it is, and it’s been in our community for a very long time,” Sackson said.

So far, around 20 people have signed up to walk with Sackson, and signups are still open. A link for donations is also available on the Innisfree website.

In addition to raising money, Sackson’s campaign is as a chance to elevate community awareness of the work being done at Innisfree.

“We’re really excited because we like to have opportunities that bring different members of the community together and that help the Charlottesville community to learn about Innisfree,” Hutter said.

In preparing for the walk, which can be strenuous over the extended period of time Sackson is planning for, she enlisted her mother – a two-time Marine Corps marathon champion – to help her out on Sunday long walks.

“I have a three-year old and I own a business, so time is not on my side,” Sackson said. “I’ve done 13 (miles) a couple times, 15, and so it’s just making sure I can go (all the way).”

The weather has been a point of concern for Sackson, particularly with unpredictable bouts of rain in the mornings, but she chose the timing of mid-August as a way to bring together friends, family and supporters before the end of the summer and move-in weekend at UVA. Despite the weather and even animals that pop up like foxes and skunks, Sackson and her mother are determined to get through each loop and hit fundraising goals, even with less crowds.

Ultimately, the money will go towards the Village’s operation, but Sackson and the board are also interested in potentially opening up scholarships for potential students. The cost of tuition for full-time residents at Innisfree is $57,252 per year, and although waiting lists and trial periods to become a full-time resident or day student are long, and tuition costs necessary to maintain the Village’s operations, it can be prohibitive for potential members.

“The thing that interests me a lot is getting it so it’s accessible to other people that aren’t as financially secure,” Sackson said.