For walkers, the weekend of the MS Challenge Walk must seem a magical occurrence. Hundreds of pedestrians descend on Cape Cod to find it fully furnished with tents, food, massage therapists, medical crew, route signs, musicians, speakers, and more. Where does everything come from? Surely Todd doesn't do it all himself?
Although I suspect Todd likely does have some superhuman reserve that would allow him to accomplish all these feats and more, he is in fact aided not only by Kara Kelley and Drew Davis, fellow NMSS employees whose time and energy make the event the success that it is, but by the many volunteers who constitute the MS Challenge Walk Steering Committee. This committee consists primarily of walkers and crew members who have participated in past MS Challenge Walks and have something to contribute to future events behind the scenes.
Some of the committee's responsibilities include calling past walkers to encourage them to sign up for this year's walk; greeting new walkers and helping them start, join, and build teams; brainstorming fundraising ideas and incentives, including prizes for our top walkers; and selecting speakers and performances for the Friday and Saturday night programs. When the conflict between this year's MS Challenge Walk and Rosh Hashanah was realized, the Steering Committee also served as a focus group, discussing what potential reactions, alternatives, and routes would be for a two-day affair.
The Steering Committee's roster changes regularly, as do the responsibilities of its specific members as they choose to participate in one areas or another. Currently, its membership looks something like this:
- Amy Scannell
- Ann Scannell
- Melissa Cassel
- Cynthia Brouillette — Evening Programs subcommittee chair
- Nick Kalergis — bike crew leader
- Jack Enright — committee chair
- Jill Lagace
- Johanna Hising
- Kara Kelley — NMSS Development Coordinator
- Ken Gagne — blog webmaster
- Lori Espino — NMSS Vice President of Resource Development
- Louis Caputo
- Mike Caputo
- Michael Kizner
- Paige Magratten
- Patty Thorpe
- Susan Cohn-Child
- Stephen Urquhart
- Todd Krohne — NMSS Senior Development Manager
The Steering Committee's members works as hard as you do to raise $1,500 and to walk 30 miles, affording them the opportunity to represent the MS Challenge Walk's audience to the National MS Society. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the event, they are always happy to listen, whether by email or while walking alongside you on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. We'll see you soon!
Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.
