Women’s soccer walks on TAM for eating disorder awareness

The Middlebury women’s soccer team participated in a virtual walk and fundraiser for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) last Sunday, raising $1,500 for the organization. While the walk is typically hosted in Burlington, Vermont, women’s soccer relocated its participation to the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM) due to gathering size limits. The walk spanned two miles, starting near the Ralph Myhre Golf Course. 

Each member of the team carried a poster on the walk, listing the name of someone in their life who has struggled with an eating disorder. It could be a friend, family member or teammate, intending to show how personal an issue eating disorders are for many people.

“The walk is a way for us to give open ears to athletes suffering from eating disorders who do not feel like they have anyone to understand or help them,” Elizabeth Peebles ’23, a member of the women’s soccer team, told The Campus.

NEDA walks are intended to be inclusive, community-wide events that remove the sense of alienation eating disorders can create. While four out of ten individuals have either had or know someone who has had an eating disorder, these mental illnesses still remain misunderstood and underfunded. This makes battling an eating disorder an overwhelming and frightening experience. The event also aims to decrease the stigmatization surrounding eating disorders, aiming to foster dialogue and transparency. Guest speakers are invited to the events and anyone is welcome to attend, with the intention of creating a supportive environment to productively spread awareness of eating disorders. The money raised from the walks goes toward spreading awareness of eating disorders and funding research initiatives. 

“It is important to make sure people feel comfortable receiving help and to spread awareness of eating disorders without stigmatizing them,” Peebles said. “This walk is a way for us to show support for NEDA who is engaging in larger actions to fight eating disorders.”

The money the team raised on their walk will go toward efforts to fund research and group-based interventions to combat the prevalence of eating disorders.