2026 JOEL BURCHFIELD SPIRIT WALK

The Joel Burchfield Memorial Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting local high school seniors and youth in sports. The organization was created by Dan and Laura Burchfield after their 11 year-old son, Joel, tragically passed away in a drowning accident in 1996 in Moorpark, CA.

The Joel Burchfield Spirit Walk began in 2015 and was born from a need to support the scholarship fund. Dan decided that year to walk 105 miles along the Pacific Coast Highway as a tribute to Joel and as a way to fundraise donations. He wrote a book about this endeavor, My Journey With Joel, and all proceeds go towards supporting the scholarship fund.

Now in its 12th year, The Joel Burchfield Spirit Walk has raised over $140,000 through donations from individual community members and local businesses alike. This has funded scholarships for Moorpark High School Seniors, as well as a newer branch of giving called "Joel's Angels" that supports youth in sports.