In the first stage, the planning stage, youth and adults, schools and organizations, businesses and nonprofit organizations, and families and individuals come to the same table as a team to produce the event. After receiving 2 days of on-site training, the team embarks on a 6-month planning process that culminates not only in the event itself, but also in laying the foundation for successful collaboration on any project the community chooses to produce in the future. In the second stage, the event itself, youth and adults from varied backgrounds form teams of 10. Each person walks or runs a mile, then passes the baton to a teammate in a cycle that repeats continuously for 24 hours. Stage three is the reinvestment. In this stage each community reinvests its earnings ($20,000 to $30,000 or more) and their learning (sharpened skills and strengthened relationships) in programs and activities that support the positive development of youth. Through such successful annual events, communities are strengthened and become better places to live.