Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The meaning of events - part 2

On June 30 I published a blog titled, The meaning of events

It included a video filmed at the Power for PH PHun Walk for a Cure in Edison, NJ.

Today, I received a comment on that blog asking for information about the Country Happenings PHun Walk that took place around the same time I wwas writing that blog.

Here's the story as I heard it from PHA's Jess McKearin...

On July 28, PH patient Vicky Turner hosted the Inaugural Country Happenings PHun Walk in her rural town of Brant, Michigan. Vicky first approached her community with her idea in December of 2011 – she saw an opportunity to organize a PHA special event in conjunction with a popular annual event her town organizes - the “Country Happenings Festival.” Out of this concept grew a July 2012 PHA fun walk which helped educate Vicky’s town about the signs and symptoms of PH. The Country Happenings PHun Walk drew nearly 70 participants and raised over $2,000 for research and services through registrations, donations, and a popular raffle. Walkers began their trek at the Marion Springs Firehouse at the center of town, and ended their awareness-raising walk at a local church, where they enjoyed a luncheon and refreshments. The walk was considered so successful on a local level that the Country Happenings Festival committee has invited Vicky to host the walk in conjunction with the festival each year moving forward.
Here's the extraordinary part.  Vicky had no access to internet, could only fax information by driving to her town’s general store, and overcame a number of personal health and community obstacles to make this walk happen. It was quite remarkable to witness!
Vicky Turner is another person in our community who has shown us the meaning of events and the so many ways that people fight back against pulmonary hypertension.
Congratulations and thanks to Vicky and all who make this and so much possible...including the folks who organized another great event, the Ist Annual Central Florida Phun Walk which took place over the Labor Day weekend.  Here's some info from PHA's Leslie Mahaney on that event...
This inaugural event was hosted by PH patient, Joy Morgan, who is the leader of the Central Florida PH Support Group and her niece, Danica Sun, who interned with PHA's Volunteer Services this past spring. Joy did an incredible job with fundraising and marketing – she had coverage in her local newspaper and had a live broadcast at her event by WSIR radio. We have not figured out final numbers since the event was this past weekend and she collected a lot of money on race day. The group was raising money for research and patient and family serving programs.
The photographer who compiled this video is Dr. Ernesto Uy, Joy's physician. 

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