Sep 25, 2011

Walking Because We Can

I did my first Minneapolis ALS Walk yesterday. This annual fundraiser collects money for the Minnesota and South Dakota Chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA).

Joann and I decided rather late to make the commitment to do the walk, and didn’t ask anyone other than daughters Nicole and Tammy to “join our team” and make the walk with us. Nevertheless, Joann’s Century College colleague Dave and his daughter Elizabeth did join us and we were very happy to have them along. Nicole and her beau Cole were there, but this is a busy weekend at work for Tammy and she was unable to join us on the walk.

Our solicitation efforts were limited to a couple of posts on Facebook, and we were thrilled to realize a total of $1,315 from 21 different donors or groups!

The weather cooperated beautifully, and we enjoyed a very pleasant three-mile walk around Lake Harriet. I was happy to meet Jim and and his wife Marie. (Jim is living with ALS in Coon Rapids, and Marie has kindly offered her support and advice to Joann. They were accompanied by a large team of friends and family.) I’m not sure what the total number of walkers was, but it had to be at least a couple thousand.

Here’s a shot of the six of us at the start of the walk:

Left-to-right above that is Elizabeth, Dave, Cole, Nicole, me and Joann. I appear to be listing a bit to the right, but I can assure you I did not fall.

Elizabeth, Nicole, Cole, and Dave at about the half-way mark:

$1,315!
A big “Thank you!” to our donors:

Antone & Mary, Bill & Tina, David & Susan, DeeDee & Jeff, Jeff, John, Kim & Steve, Kristen & Bob, Mary & Joe, Mary & Thomas, Mike, Mom & Dad, MPCA ISO Department, Nicole, Omaha Pfeiffers, Rhonda, Roger & Cathy, Sally & Cynthia, Science Department of Century College, Sue, Tamara, and Tom & Lisa.

Recent ALS Bites:

DATE	TITLE
02/28/2019	Unhappy Anniversary
05/12/2017	The Eyes Have It
08/04/2016	YFALS National Corntoss Challenge
07/18/2016	Scopolamine Blues
03/06/2016	Dragon Me Down