It was a great day to go for a walk.
On Sunday, May 5, the hiking trail between the Homestead Museum and Drumheller Valley Secondary School was filled with runners and walkers participating in the annual Enerflex MS Walk.
Organizers of the event were overjoyed with the turnout, which saw 150 people, up from 97 last year, show their support for helping those with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative neurological disease.
“I think it went pretty spectacularly. We had higher participation this year than we’ve had for the past three or four years in Drumheller,” said Shauna Brown, MS Walk coordinator. “It means a lot to the services that are provided to the clients who have MS in our area. With this, we’ll be able to work harder to support them.”
Overall, sponsorship was up by 53 per cent and pledges up 40 per cent. As of Monday afternoon, the walk had raised $35,000, but the total continues to climb.
“By May 17 I think we will have surpassed our goal of $40,000,” said Brown. “Considering the whole of Alberta was down seven per cent, Drumheller was superb.”
There were also a large number of young volunteers helping and walking.
“We had a lot of younger volunteers this time around too. It was a really heartwarming family event. Everybody had a fun time,” said Brown.
Enerflex, like those who were volunteering and walking, pitched in their support, donating $1.3 million to the MS Society of Canada since 1998.
“We started out in 1998, supporting an employee with MS, then things have just grown from there. Over the last five years, we’ve had a team in every walk across the province. It’s a big deal for us and we put a lot of time and effort into it. It makes a big difference. Hopefully someday we will beat it,” said Justin Francois, Enerflex account representative for the prairie region.
The hope is the walk will continue to grow and, perhaps, more events throughout the year.
“I would like to see us do more than one event,” said Brown. “It keeps us in the forefront and reminds us that there are people in the community that have MS.”
The Drumheller Titan cheerleaders, the Angels, led the charge at the MS Walk on Sunday, May 5.
Lorraine Evans-Cross (left), regional director of the Central Alberta MS Society of Canada chapter, cheers as Justin Francois, account representative prairie region for Enerflex, presents a cheque representing their 15 year, $1.3 million, commitment to the MS Society of Canada.
