10/17/2007

ALS walk exceeds fundraising goal
By Dolores E. Pike

Ken McLaughlin, along with his wife Anita, heads up the ALS Association, Chapter DCMDVA and expects the donations received from this year's Walk to D'feet ALS to reach $40,000.  This is well in excess of the $25,000 goal set for this year. The walks (150 throughout the country) are the major fund raisers for the national association and all funds received are thus credited. 

"We had a very successful walk," he said, noting it was the largest turnout they have had in the organization's three-year history in Ocean Pines, with approximately 300 participants. And along with the kids, adults, dogs and baby-carriage-pushers were four PALS (People Living with ALS) from Maryland, including Nancy Sterling from Salisbury.

"Saturday's walk shows the spirit of people and how the event is growing," said John Hannigan, public relations chairman for the local chapter. 

Taking part in the opening ceremonies held at the Ocean Pines Swim and Racquet Club on Saturday October 6 was Stacy Sakai, local TV personality, as mistress of ceremonies.  Also on hand to help with the event were the choir from the Most Blessed Sacrament School, Delmarva Sweet Adelines, of which Nancy Sterling is a member, and Stephen Decatur High School Naval ROTC color guard.  Katerina Burton, an eighth grader from Stephen Decatur Middle School, sang the "Star Spangled Banner." 

The three mile walk was led by Worcester County States Attorney Joel Todd playing the bagpipes.  He was followed by the Ocean Pines Kiwanis with their banner honoring Carter Nobel, a fellow Kiwanian who succumbed to the disease in 2006.

Also lending their presence to the event were Gull Creek Senior Living Community who sponsored and sold Strike Out ALS wristbands and the Bank of Ocean City which provide a drinking water oasis at the half way point of the walk.  The Kiwanis provided a hot dog snack at the end of the walk, giving walkers a chance to socialize.

Of the monies raised by the local ALS chapter, 65 percent will be used to help PALS and their families by providing equipment such as wheelchairs and voice machines as well as doing personal follow ups on patients by phone and home visits.  The rest of the money will go to research (20 percent) and administrative services.

On November 8 the grand opening of the University of Maryland Medical Center ALS Clinic in Baltimore will take place.  The facility is co-sponsored by the ALS Association DCMDVA Chapter and the University of Maryland Medical Center Neurology Department.

Mr. McLaughlin expressed his thanks to the 25 member ALS committee who worked so hard on making the walk a success, adding that he was "pleased with the number of young people involved," who volunteered their services.