2005 TeamWalk Connections

Summaries and photos - wonderful times of sharing, fun, learning and bringing us one step closer to the cure!

Canada    New England    MidAmerica   

Click here to see TeamWalk Connection summaries and photos for the Northwest, New York, Southern and Southwest TeamWalk Connections  

West Vancouver, Canada, Sept. 10, organized by Jean Chambers, SPF Board Member

Note from Dianne Laird:  My husband, two daughters and myself returned around 8 pm this evening from Vancouver where we saw family and attended the Team Walk Connection. It was fabulous I must say! There were nine of us, which made for a quaint little warm-up, TeamWalk and Lunch Connection. 

A fabulous lunch was supplied by Medtronic (the makers of the Intrathecal Pump System) and we enjoyed a long chat session with tea and coffee including a great sharing session to discuss our likes and dis-likes, aches and pains and what we found worked and didn't. Jean had a few of her personal devices that work for her for us to try and look at. Then after we parted our ways, Jean and my family had a wonderful dinner together. All in all we had a wonderful weekend and I would do it again in a heart beat and recommend it to all who can attend one or want to host one. 

From left: Beverely Gartell, Dianne Laird, Jean Chambers, Bob Weitzel and Margaret Scott.		Jean and Dianne examine items from a perfume Gift Basket that had been used as a fundraiser project.

New England (Newport, Rhode Island), Sept. 11, organized by Kathi Geisler, former SPF Board Member, and Joel Seidman

Note from Kathi: We had a wonderful Saturday Arrival Dinner where seven of us met at the Coddington Pub, near the Howard Johnson's (where all of us were staying overnight). Sunday was a glorious day! Thirty-six people came together from four different states to enjoy the Lunch Connection and TeamWalk at Fort Adams Park on the beautiful Newport Harbor. People began arriving at 10:30 to help set up the picnic area (see photo below on the left). It was fabulous to renew old acquaintances and meet new friends. Subway sandwiches, delivered at 12:00, were enjoyed along with drinks, chips and cookies that attendees brought to share. After lunch, a group photo was taken and the TeamWalk began at 1:00. Two routes along the harbor allowed for a short distance TeamWalk, led by Kathi, or a longer distance TeamWalk, led by Joel.

TeamWalk participants set up the area on the Newport harbor for the TeamWalk Connection.		Most of the TeamWalkers assemble for a photo.

MidAmerica (Norman, Oklahoma), Sept. 17, organized by Mark Dvorak

Note from Mark (at right): We had a wonderful time at the Mid America TeamWalk Connection. The event was attended by 32 people and they came from these various cities and states: Austin, Allen, and Bulverde, Texas; Topeka, Kansas; Norman, Purcell, Oklahoma City, Stillwater, Fairmont, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am proud to say I gathered 100 signatures on my TeamWalk T-shirt at the TeamWalk Connection!

On Friday evening, I enjoyed meeting Marlene and Carrol Doolen at the Red Lobster. We had an great meal and visit. Marlene was one of the founding board members of the SPF and it was indeed a pleasure to meet her.

On Saturday, it was very nice to be able to place faces with email contacts and also to visit with old friends at the same time. After visiting a while, we walked and rolled along the beautiful Legacy Trail. My daughter led the walk wearing her roller blades because, when a cure is found, I will be roller blading right along side of her holding her hand. Norman Regional Hospital brought out lunch for us to enjoy after the walk. They also sent Chaplin, Mike Bumgarner to lead us in a discussion about depression, which we all found very interesting and informative.

Several of us met at the Santa Fe Grill that evening and enjoyed talking and eating together. We then went to the hotel guest area and continued to visit until about 10:30. All in all, it was a great weekend and an experience I will never forget!

Note from Marlene Doolen, former SPF Board Member (front row, 2nd in from right):  My husband, Carrol, and I just returned from the Mid-America TeamWalk Connection held in Norman, Oklahoma this weekend. Friday evening we met and went with Mark Dvorak to dinner at Red Lobster. Mark did an excellent job in planning the Saturday TeamWalk at Andrews Park. In addition to meeting Mark's nice family, some new people and seeing some old friends, the weather was perfect.

After a walk around the park with paved walkways, a delicious picnic lunch was eaten. After lunch, we had a guest speaker talk with us about depression. His discussion was based on our comments to him about depression related to a variety of situations including loss of jobs due to disability, losing the ability to do things we used to do and being dependent on someone else. His main point was to find a sounding board, an impartial person you can talk with about how you feel and what you are going through. Saturday evening we dined at the Santa Fe Grill followed up with continued conversation in the hotel guest area. Having to get back on the road the next day, we said our good byes around 10:30 PM.

Why Your Support Matters

“TeamWalk Connections” are our annual community efforts to raise funds for research to find the cure for SPF diseases and to help people affected by the conditions. A Connection event provides the opportunity to meet others affected by HSP or PLS, share stories and concerns, learn and have fun. Then, the group heads out for a TeamWalk walkathon, a fundraising effort where individuals have gotten sponsors for their participation in the TeamWalk. All funds raised support SPF Research Awards.

The Spastic Paraplegia Foundation is the only organization in the Americas that is dedicated to raising funds specifically for HSP and PLS research. Thank you!