2010 MS Challenge Walk
Trustees Jack Enright and Patty Thorpe walked and participated in the weekend’s evening programs. We invite everyone to celebrate with us in 2011 for the Tenth Annual MS Challenge Walk on September 9-11.
2010 Event Re-caps
Our New Hampshire ride returned to the seacoast in August. Close to 200 cyclists enjoyed a great day of riding and together raised $90,000. This one-day ride is ideally situated for a memorable day on the bike with easy access for riders from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
The last Bike MS event of the year is Bike & Hike the Berkshires. Riders and hikers joined together to enjoy the beauty of western Massachusetts and together raised more than $150,000. While cyclists challenged themselves on the numerous and seemingly never ending hills on the roads, hikers climbed Mt. Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts. The western Massachusetts location gives cyclists and hikers of Massachusetts, Vermont and beyond a great way to end the Bike MS season.
A new event for 2010 is the stair climb, Climb to the Top. Taking a page out of the New York City-Southern New York chapter’s playbook, we hosted the first-ever stair climb at New England’s tallest building, the John Hancock Tower in Boston. One hundred fifty climbers started their Sunday morning by climbing 61 floors of the Hancock Tower. Our top elite climber finished the race in less than eight minutes. Firefighters entered in the fire/police division climbed to the top in full gear and boots. Thanks to Normandy Realty Partners for their support and assistance.
Our one-of-a-kind MS Harborfest was a great success. We started the four day event with the MS Benefit Auction held at the beautiful Ocean Gateway Terminal which extends over the waters of Portland Harbor.
Over the next three days, Portland Harbor was busy with a range of on-water activities including: sailboat races, a power boat poker run, lobster boat races and a tug boat race and parade. Keeping with mariner tradition, each day of boating was celebrated with BBQ, music and lots of story-telling between friends old and new. Additional fundraising was the outcome of various raffles throughout the event. This special event was made possible due to the dedication and support of our MS Ambassador, Janet Dunn, Fleet Commander Jody Cady, event founder Merle Hallett, and the many volunteers helping out.
Falmouth Road Race
The Falmouth Road Race, 7.3 miles from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights on Cape Cod, has a wonderful charity program that provides us with 20 numbers for the race. In order to receive one of these numbers participants of the MS Team must commit to raise a minimum of $750.
The top fundraiser was Ken Heffner raising $4,500 and the top fundraising “Team” are siblings Matthew, Rebecca and Tricia Layden who raised just under $11,000. The Layden Family hail from Quincy and ran in support of their Mom who has MS.
Nine-year-old Caroline Maggi of Florida joined the MS Team this year. Her grandparents Joe and Maura Maggi live in Longmeadow, MA. Caroline’s father, grandfather, aunt, uncles and cousins have all run the race in the past and Caroline wanted to be part of her family FRR heritage.
Sunday, October 10 marked a special day for the entire Boston College community as they hosted the Fourth Annual Fundraiser to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Team collected donations at their game and gave out awareness materials. The event was held to honor recently graduated Boston College Field Hockey player Kathleen Murphy. In April 2007, her junior season, Murphy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Since that day the Eagles have been constant supporters of the MS Society, raising over $35,000 to help fight and raise awareness of this disease with their Boston Walk Team “Murphy’s Law.”
Photos from other chapter events are also available at http://msnewengland.lifepics.com/net/Pro/RecentEvents.aspx.