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> Features > Health & Fitness > Western Massachusetts officials to lead 2008 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk
Western Massachusetts officials to lead 2008 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation WalkAGAWAM Agawam Mayor Susan Dawson and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno will co-chair the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 2008 Western Massachusetts Walk to Cure Diabetes. JDRF is looking for families, schools, corporations and community organizations to form teams and participate in the walk on Oct. 19 at Six Flags New England in Agawam.
Dawson, who is personally affected by Type 1 diabetes, sees her
leadership role in the walk as an opportunity to help spread awareness of the disease. She said, "I am proud to be serving as a co-chair of
this year's JDRF Walk. Millions of children, teens and adults are living with diabetes. This is a devastating disease, and by teaming up with JDRF, we are doing all that we can to help accelerate research efforts to get us to a cure as soon as possible."
"It is an honor to help JDRF move closer to achieving its mission of curing diabetes. As the walk's co-chairs, Mayor Dawson and I are committed to making the 2008 walk the biggest and most successful one yet, and we are asking members of the Western Massachusetts community to step up with us on Oct. 19 and make a difference," Sarno said.
Joining Dawson and Sarno as members of the walk's leadership team are Honorary Chair Hector Toledo, Vice President and Retail Sales Director for Hampden Bank; Vice Chair John Doleva, President of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; and Massachusetts State Rep. Rosemary Sandlin, serving as Grand Marshall of the walk.
Courtesy of Six Flags New England, the annual event will again offer free admission to the theme park on the day of the walk to walkers who raise $50 or more for JDRF. All cash and check donations should be collected in advance and brought to the registration tent from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the western parking lot across from the main entrance of the park. Once registered, walkers will enjoy breakfast, music and activities for children, including an appearance by Six Flags costumed characters. The walk kicks off at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony, a ribbon-cutting, and a two-mile stroll through New England's largest theme park, followed by lunch, entertainment and activities that run through noon. Walkers with free admission to the park can enjoy all rides, shows and attractions from noon to 8 p.m. that day.
To register for the walk and learn about JDRF's online fundraising tools, visit www.walk.jdrf.org. For more information, call (888) 533-9255.
The Western Massachusetts Walk to Cure Diabetes is one of 200 JDRF Walks that take place annually across the country. Nationally, more than 600,000 people are expected to walk this year.
JDRF, the leading charitable funder and advocate of juvenile (type 1) diabetes research worldwide, was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with juvenile diabetes a disease which strikes children suddenly, makes them insulin-dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has provided more than $1.16 billion in direct funding to diabetes research. Nearly 86 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. For more information, visit www.jdrf.org or call (860) 470-0020 or (888) 533-9255.
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