April 29, 2004

Fun, fitness, and philanthropy: South Bay residents walk to fight MS

More than 1,600 people raised over $300,000 in celebration of a very special occasion—their efforts in the fight against multiple sclerosis. Their goal? To join in the fun at the annual Rainmaker MS Walk, a 10K walk along Los Gatos Creek Trail, and raise funds for MS programs and services, and research for a cure. According to the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society who puts on the walk each year, there are over 2,500 residents in the South Bay living with the devastating effects of this disease that damages the central nervous system. So far, almost $280,000 has been raised, and the numbers keep climbing. Sixty percent of this money provides essential services to local residents: newly diagnosed programs, educational workshops, and medical equipment loans.

Participants in the MS Walk are dedicated individuals. There’s Almaden’s Laine Meyer, a mother of two, who has MS and makes it her personal fitness goal to finish the entire walk. Laine and her team, Meyer Madness, have raised over $7,000 so far! There’s Team Hari, a small team walking for a big reason—a relative in India —and they’ve raised a staggering $11,000! And, Doug Richardson of Almaden organized a team of walkers and brought his daughter Darci along to entertain the crowd with jazz songs.

Noteworthy celebrities and personalities routinely chair the walk, and this year was no exception. Honor-ary Chairperson David L. Lander, who played “Squiggy” on the hit TV show “Laverne & Shirley,” spoke about his battle with MS at the start point and autographed free copies of his book, “Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn’t Tell Nobody,” at the finish line party.

If you’d like to donate money in the fight against multiple sclerosis, or participate in the MS Walk next spring, contact 1-800-FIGHT MS or visit www.nationalmssociety.org/cau.