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.
In a world where heroes can make a difference — there exists one weekend when they will do the impossible. The stars will align for hundreds of champions to come together and light a flame against the darkness, daring to defy their very fate. Friendships will be forged and all limits shattered, ensuring nothing will ever be the same.
The tragedy and the triumph has critics raving. "STUNNING," says Leonard Maltin. "A MASTERPIECE," according to Steve Sookikian. "TWO THUMBS UP" from Roger Ebert.
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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.
The snow may have us shut indoors, but we're getting the word out! We want the tenth annual MS Challenge Walk on Cape Cod to be the best yet, and that means recruiting friends new and old. So we're advertising on Comcast, January 31 through March 6, during which time you may spot this commercial:
This commercial will air on these stations and shows:
AEN
Sell This House, Flip House, All AEN programming, movies
BRVO
Housewives, Rachel Zoe, Flipping Out, Law & Order, movies
ENT
E! Entertainment
FOOD Network
HALL
Hallmark Feature Movie
HGTV
TLC
Jon & Kate, Cake Off, 18 Kids, Toddlers, Yes to Dress, Ink, Dateline, What Not Wear
In addition to the thirty-second commercial appearing during the above shows, this three-minute video will be available in the Comcast Video-on-Demand library:
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.
If you live in New England, this morning's mushy mess followed by this evening's early sunset will confirm what you've long been fearing: winter is here.
Fortunately, us northerners are made of hardy stock that will survive the long, cold, dark season, an experience that will make the spring shedding of scarves for shorts all the sweeter. Then our bones will creak and muscles stretch as we start to get back in shape for the MS Challenge Walk. Any doctor will tell you that health is something easier to retain than regain. So how can we keep in shape all year long and not just when it's warm out?
There are plenty of aerobic exercises you can enjoy year-round, regardless of the weather. The most obvious answer is to join a gym or the Y, where you can walk and run on treadmills, use step machines, or join dance and yoga classes. But being cooped up indoors is not always the answer for winter doldrums, especially at the rates some gyms charge.
Or, if you're like our stalwart leader of the bike crew, you can ride your bicycle, even in the snow. Icebike.org has more details on taking this risk.
Personally, I enjoy contra dancing. It's a smoke-free, alcohol-free, family-friendly activity that accommodates all skill levels, especially beginners. Live music and fun people combine in a routine that's the equivalent of walking several miles. (Seriously — they've measured the distance traveled by dancing feet!)
How do you keep your body moving in the winter? Share your suggestions in the comments below!
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.
The first photos of the MS Challenge Walk were posted last week, courtesy professional photographer Andrew Child. Since then, hundreds more pictures have surfaced online, posted by those who walked the walk. Each of these eight photographers have graciously allowed us to share their albums with you here on our blog. Click any one of the images below (the photographer's name and team are given in the caption) to visit their larger album. All are located on Facebook, except for Ken Gagne's and Bonnie's Believers'; no album requires registration or additional software to view.
Do you have photos that aren't listed here? Please contact us with your details!
Sandy of Baldi's MS Busters
Jacqui of Whittaker's Warriors
Amy of All Smiles For 50 Miles
Cathy of Walk With Wendy
Ken of MSchief Makers
Marisa
Cocktails for a Cure
Bonnie's Believers
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.
Over the course of the three days of the MS Challenge Walk 2010, Challenge Blogger Emily Kahm reported live via the microblogging service Twitter. By using her cell phone, she could send brief messages about what she was seeing, doing, or feeling to the Internet, where anyone could read them. She told her family about this opportunity before the event, allowing them and anyone else interested to follow her first experience of the MS Challenge Walk as it was happening. This story could be read in real-time, for free and without registration, either on Twitter or here on the blog.
To reflect on the record of tweets Kahm wrote, I've compiled her 40 messages, each fewer than 140 characters, here in chronological order. (Other Twitter users are listed at the bottom of this post.)
Almost packed, almost ready to get going-let's get this walk started! Sep. 10, 2010 2:12 PM
Defeated the traffic heading towards the Cape-on the bus and headed out! What a pretty area! Sep. 10, 2010 5:01 PM
Just checked in-got a green sticker, which the volunteer assured me would get me lots of hugs-apparently people love first timers! Sep. 10, 2010 6:02 PM
Just met Wendy, a fellow blogger, of team Walk With Wendy. She mentioned there being an ice cream truck on the route-I'll be looking for it! Sep. 10, 2010 6:09 PM
Omg SO MUCH FOOD. Chocolate milkshakes=ultimate pre-walk drink. Sep. 10, 2010 6:38 PM
Mama Hen made her appearance on stage-nothing like a grown woman in a chicken suit to get us raring for a 20 mile Saturday! Sep. 10, 2010 8:12 PM
So that med tent is seriously well stocked-I didn't know there were so many ways to treat blisters, but I'll probably be thankful tomorrow! Sep. 10, 2010 8:43 PM
6:20am, honking horn, U2 blaring…there are worse ways to wake up. Sep. 11, 2010 6:29 AM
Quite the energetic breakfast crew! Lots of people eating considering wake-up call was 10 minutes ago. But why would they serve decaf here? Sep. 11, 2010 6:57 AM
@kgagne is off to join bike crew, Im waiting to represent MO in the state flag parade…seems like a good time to stretch! Sep. 11, 2010 7:52 AM
No MO flag for me :-( Maybe next year? Sep. 11, 2010 8:17 AM
Walking with Jennifer of EMD Serono-already gone almost 4 miles? Not sure how that happened! Sep. 11, 2010 10:01 AM
Maybe around 6 miles…body is fine but feet are unhappy. Where is that next rest stop? Sep. 11, 2010 11:03 AM
6.6 mile marker! The next rest stop really WAS just around the corner! Sep. 11, 2010 11:10 AM
Free ice cream at 7.5 miles!!! Thank you hyannis ice cream! And the next stop is lunch :-) Sep. 11, 2010 11:38 AM
Going to the beach to hit the turnaround before getting lunch…so…where's the beach? Sep. 11, 2010 12:39 PM
Taking tight shoes off swollen feet…didn't know anything could feel that satisfying! Sep. 11, 2010 1:27 PM
One of the last to leave lunch-surprise surprise. But the feet are feeling better after a stop in the med tent! Sep. 11, 2010 1:57 PM
After a 1/2 hour of solitary walking, finally spotted another walker! How far back from the pack am I?! Sep. 11, 2010 2:25 PM
Just passed the Gilligans Island rest stop. Got some gatorade from a rather manly Ginger. 6.4 miles to go! Sep. 11, 2010 2:49 PM
2nd stop at the med tents complete. 3 brand new blisters i've earned! Thank goodness the finish line is only 4 more miles. Sep. 11, 2010 3:45 PM
Still a couple miles out…Id go for the sprint to the finish if I didn't think my feet would fall off. Hope @kgagne reserved me a massage! Sep. 11, 2010 4:22 PM
OMG IM DONE. And here 10 minutes before my massage. Shoes come OFF! Sep. 11, 2010 5:20 PM
God bless the med tent! Watching the slideshow now :-) Sep. 11, 2010 7:18 PM
BUSY MORNING. Wake up call @ 5:30, headed straight to breakfast, then to the med tent to get some blisters drained and bandaged. Sep. 12, 2010 7:12 AM
Then came back to pack, and discovered my cabin mates had done the lions share of the cleaning…now off to the starting line! Sep. 12, 2010 7:13 AM
Yet another med tent visit, now at the 2nd rest stop…and they have DUNKIN!! Sep. 12, 2010 9:04 AM
Just had the same EMT at the rest stop that i had last night! Here's to hoping thats the last of my new blisters. Sep. 12, 2010 9:45 AM
Never thought Id be so grateful to see a sidewalk! Been some traffic on the roads, so now we don't have to dodge cars anymore! Sep. 12, 2010 10:35 AM
Last rest stop! @Rossiwheels, Jojoba, Cocktails for a Cure-lots of teams hanging out here. 1.75 miles-even with throbbing feet, it's doable. Sep. 12, 2010 10:54 AM
In the home stretch! We've got a support vehicle cruising beside us blaring Beat It :-) Sep. 12, 2010 11:26 AM
At the middle school!!! No more massages, but I got to use a real bathroom and have donned my blue shirt. Now…food!!! Sep. 12, 2010 12:08 PM
Last walkers coming in now! Welcome to the party, Sarahs Sponsors! Soon we'll be taking off for the finish line-on a trolley! Sep. 12, 2010 12:24 PM
Lots of blue shirts here…the people who have MS are a small group compared to all the people who care about them! Sep. 12, 2010 12:33 PM
On the trolley with Gordons Team, Walk With Wendy, Jojoba, Mashpokha, and my one MSChief Maker teammate @kgagne! Job well done, everybody! Sep. 12, 2010 1:06 PM
Almost fell asleep on the trolley…just waiting at the stop. Come on, someone give us the go ahead to get to the finish line! Sep. 12, 2010 1:37 PM
And………FINISH! Sep. 12, 2010 1:47 PM
Jumped up to touch the finish sign…not a great idea when your feet are this sore! :-) Sep. 12, 2010 1:48 PM
All done! Hope to be back to do it all again next year-but with one more day and 20 more miles. They claim it doesn't hurt that much worse. Sep. 12, 2010 2:11 PM
Like the General says, the important thing is that we decided to do something. And once MS is history, we'll just find another cause. Sep. 12, 2010 2:13 PM
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.
The MS Challenge Walk 2010 is only a few days behind us, and memories of the event are still fresh in our minds. Stories like Brian's about his inspiring wife are just one of the many gifts we take with us when we step off the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Sharing these experiences helps to capture a bit of what makes this weekend so special, not only letting us reminiscence about this unique event but also giving us something we can send to our friends and family as a glimpse into our community.
In addition to stories, the weekend was also preserved on film. Just as he did last year, professional photographer and Challenge Walk volunteer Andrew Child has uploaded to his Facebook page 546 photos that he took over the course of the weekend, as well as 107 photos by budding photographer Zach Child. We'll have even more photos as well as videos up soon, but in the meantime, please click on any one of the below pictures to visit the larger album. (You don't need a free Facebook account to view the pictures, but commenting and tagging is limited to members.)
Andrew's 2010 photos (1/3)
Andrew's 2010 photos (2/3)
Andrew's 2010 photos (3/3)
Zach's 2010 photos
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.
The MS Challenge Walk invites us to take action to create a world free from multiple sclerosis. The event in turn inspires us with the people and acts that we witness along the trail.
Last year, bicycle crewman Craig Thorpe was inspired by seeing Carolyn wheeling up a hill and insisting on doing it herself in what she called her "Rocky moment."
Carolyn's inspiration strikes close to home for her husband, Brian, who was on this year's bike crew. He submitted this guest blog post relating his experience on the MS Challenge Walk:
Many of you may not recognize my name; I am the extremely honored and privileged husband of Carolyn Rossi. Carolyn is that very joyful and inspiring trooper who wheels the MS Challenge Walk in her red wheelchair, A.K.A "Red", each year for the last five years.
I volunteer on the bike support crew each year and get to work with a great team of guys and gals!
For me, this year included one of my most encouraging and proud moments. I was completely amazed to see how much the MS Challenge Walk family actually loves my wife and how inspired they are by her determination to push through the burn and pain and fight this disease head on!
Whether it was a casual walker passing by and saying "Great job, you are so inspiring," motorcycle safety crew members embracing her with huge hugs and telling her they loved her, or everyone knowing to queue up "Eye of the Tiger" as she passes by — it is so amazing the love and encouragement that you all bestow upon such a wonderful and inspiring woman!
As Carolyn exited the second stop on Sunday — the one with the Dunkin' Donuts theme — she literally took a "Dunkie Junkie" t-shirt off someone's back, saying to me "This stop means that freakin' hill is right around the corner!" Carolyn pushed and pushed up Setucket Hill that morning, keeping her team members close by but not letting them dare touch her wheelchair, with "Eye of the Tiger" blasting. Medical crew bicyclist Billy, several walkers, and fellow bike crew members made comments to me like "She's really gonna do this!" "She's killin' this thing!" "She's haulin' it!" I was such a proud husband! Sure enough, with each and every push, she inched closer and closer to the peak of that hill. At the top was one of the motorcycle safety team members saying "You go, girl! I have a 'wow' sticker for you up here — just a little farther!"
Many may not know that I lost my beloved grandmother to complications related to MS. She was not only my grandmother but also a very close friend; I loved her so much! Part of my heart truly believes that Carolyn was placed in my life to carry the torch for people like my grandmother. My grandmother would be so proud and honored that her grandson was blessed with such an amazing and courageous wife, and her great-grandson with such an inspiring mother.
Thank you to all for walking this past weekend and making the event a success! Thank you to each and every person who shared a kind word or thought with my wife. Just as each wheel and push Carolyn makes inspires all of you, each step you take encourages and inspires Carolyn. It's what makes her go go go!
Not to get overly religious, but in the Bible there is a passage, Proverbs 31. This speaks of a "woman of noble character". In the latter sections of the passage it says "many women do noble things, but you surpass them all". Carolyn, you are a blessing and an amazing woman! I love you so much!
Now — get wheeling for next year!!
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.
Every walker and crew member should have received in the mail this year's Travel & Information Guide. This document contains directions, schedules, packing lists, and safety tips for the MS Challenge Walk weekend. You can also find it online and in color for easy reference.
One of our bloggers has her own recommended packing list which includes all-weather gear. We're hoping that Hurricane Earl ruining our Labor Day weekend will mean beautiful weather the following — rain two weekends in a row just wouldn't be fair! But the MS Challenge Walk was held in a hurricane in 2008, and we got some rain in 2009 as well. So remember when packing to prepare for rain, just in case!
Once you're packed and ready to hit the Cape, what's next? Our schedule this year is a bit different from usual. You'll be driving to Kalmus Park Beach in Barnstable Town as always. From there, buses are running every hour on the hour 3–8 PM on Friday to take you to the Cape Cod Sea Camps in Brewster, where you're invited to join us for the Friday night pre-walk party. (This is in place of our annual social at the Cape Codder hotel.) On Saturday, you'll walk out and back to the camps, and on Sunday, you'll walk to the Wixon Middle School in South Dennis, where you'll enjoy a barbecue before being shuttled back to Hyannis for the finish line parade. After the closing ceremonies, you'll take one last bus a mile back to your car at Kalmus.
If you need to drive directly to the Cape Cod Sea Camps, limited parking is available, but you will then need to take a longer shuttle ride back to the Camps to collect your car on Sunday, which also results in a longer ride home afterward.
Any last-minute questions or concerns? Let us know, and we'll get you the info you need to make this weekend a success!
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.
