Challenge Walk

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General information about the walk itself.

Thank you!

Written by Danielle on September 14, 2011 at 9:41 am

Dear Challenge Walk participants — walkers, crew, and volunteers,

Thank you for for making the tenth annual MS Challenge Walk on Cape Cod the best one yet!

This weekend, you bonded on the walk route, stopping at rest stops with many themes, including "Care-a-lot". You were transported to the Circus at Sea Camps, complete with trapeze artists. You cried together at the Saturday night candlelight ceremony that celebrated our connections to MS and the reasons we decided to "accept the Challenge." On Sunday, you paraded together to the Hyannis Village Green in a sea of orange and blue tee shirts.

Keep in touch with your Challenge Walk "family" by visiting our Facebook page. Many pictures, video, and inspiring stories from the weekend have already been posted to the page. Please join the conversation and share your own experience at the Challenge Walk. If you have photos you've posted online, please let us know, as we'll be collecting links to these albums to share with other walkers.

You were e-mailed a discount code to register for the 2012 MS Challenge Walk for only $25 — a $50 discount off the registration fee. Register to join us in 2012 for the MS Challenge Walk!

Without you, this amazing weekend would not be possible. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Lori & Danielle

Danielle is a Development Coordinator for the Greater New England Chapter of the National MS Society. Prior to joining the staff at the National MS Society, she served as a crew team captain during the 2009 and 2010 MS Challenge Walks.

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Tweeting live from Challenge Walk 2011

Written by Ken on September 8, 2011 at 5:18 pm

As much as walkers and crew love connecting with each other again every September, it can be hard to disconnect from your friends and family back home long enough to walk those fifty miles. Of course, the best solution is to bring them with you as your teammates — but if they don't know what the walk is all about, they can get a taste of the event this weekend.

Veteran walker Jennifer Rebecca Yates will be tweeting throughout the weekend, sharing short messages of her experiences and encounters along the Cape Cod Rail Trail. You can follow her notes on Twitter at @mschallengewalk; on Facebook at MS Challenge Walk Cape Cod; or right here on this blog. Unlike on Twitter and Facebook, the below feed has the benefit of also displaying tweets from walkers and crew Brian Rossi, Lindsay, Jodi Dwyer, and Cassandra Milone. Just refresh this page anytime you want to see the latest twenty tweets!

[The live tweet has concluded! Please see Jen's archive of tweets for the full story.]

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.

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MS Challenge Walk on the morning news

Written by Ken on September 7, 2011 at 3:53 pm

Is everyone ready for the MS Challenge Walk 2011? In just over 24 hours, we'll be meeting at the Cape Codder to see old friends and psych up for the next fifty miles!

Just in time for the walk, steering committee chairman Jack Enright appeared this morning on Boston's Fox News to promote the event. The full clip can be seen online:

Jack did a great job plugging our walk, with footage of many familiar friends complementing the news, taken from Andrew Child's photos and various commercials. Be sure to be on the Cape this weekend for your chance to be seen and make a difference!

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Keep up the momentum!

Written by Wendy on August 3, 2011 at 1:32 pm

My team and I are going to experience our third Challenge Walk coming this September. How do you keep the momentum with training and fundraising? Focus on the prize: a cure for MS. When you feel like you'll never reach your goal or you just can't walk that next mile, picture the faces of MS and you will!

Training in the hot temperatures and the humidity of the summer can be difficult. Cool down before and after training, either in a cool shower, a pool, or drinking cold water can help keep a walker safe! Walk with your friends or take your kids along on the training. My son likes to ride his bike while we are walking. Look for local bike or walking trails to have a walking route without the worry of motorized vehicles. Also, some trails are mile marked for ease in training your scheduled miles.

During my first Challenge Walk, on Day 1 when I was feeling the walk and not finding the inspiration within myself, my husband handed me a photo of our son, which drove me to dig deeper and continue on my journey that day. Find that inspiration you need whether within yourself or through someone else. I wear the Join the Movement bracelet everyday as a visual reminder of the obstacles of MS. Someone once asked me why I don't take it off. My response was simple: 'Because I can't take off my MS.

For the first-time walkers out there, you will see so much inspiration on the walk that you will leave a little bit of a different person. In the meantime, thank you to all the participants for everything you are doing for those of us living with MS everyday. As you embark on your journey to the 2011 MS Challenge Walk, stay safe, hydrated, and inspired — you can do this!

Wendy, the captain of Team WWW (Walk With Wendy), was diagnosed with MS in 2006. Although she cut down on her work hours during the past year, she still loves her job as a teacher. Wendy lives in Attleboro, MA, with her supportive husband and 9-year-old son, who provides inspiration for her daily!

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Housing forms due Aug. 1

Written by Danielle on July 28, 2011 at 3:41 pm

All walkers and crew participating in the MS Challenge Walk are required complete the participation confirmation and housing form, regardless of where you are staying during the event weekend, as we also use this form to collect important information regarding emergency contacts, medications, allergies, and other needs. We will do everything we can to accommodate your needs.

We would appreciate you providing this info by August 1st. You will receive an email confirmation so you know the form was received. We will not be sending out paper forms this year, so if you are having trouble completing the online form, or would like to complete the form over the phone with a member of the MS Challenge Walk Team, please call us at 800-344-4867.

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Exploring the Challenge and getting involved

Written by Lori on May 1, 2011 at 12:12 pm

The NMSS is going to start having regularly scheduled "Explore the Challenge" meetings to empower all 2011 Challenge Walk participants' fitness and fundraising abilities! These meetings provide newcomers the opportunity to learn more about fundraising and training opportunities and expectations involved with this annual tradition, and for veterans to get new ideas and to welcome potential first-time walkers.

The first of these meetings will be held at our flagship office at 101 First Avenue, Suite 6, Waltham, MA on May 5 and 19 at 6 PM. Look for these and future meetings on this site's event calendar.

Also, we're asking that anyone who is passionate about making this tenth anniversary Walk MS: Cape Cod Challenge Walk a success to please contact me. We want to work with anyone who would be willing to place event brochures and posters in their neighborhoods or workplaces — the more people who get involved in this meaningful event, the closer we are to finding a cure!

Enjoy this beautiful New England spring!

Lori is the Executive Vice President of Resource Development for the Greater New England Chapter of the National MS Society.

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Let's make it happen!

Written by Lori on April 20, 2011 at 3:05 pm

I am so excited to work with the many friends I have made over the years as well as begin to build new relationships with those that are embarking on this incredible journey for the first time! As we embark on our tenth year of the MS Challenge Walk Cape Cod, we will come together to celebrate how much of an impact we have had on those we have touched over time.

We have lots of work to do before we get to that finish line in September, and I am looking forward to working with everyone to make this year the most successful event ever.

For the time being, I urge everyone to get involved, stay motivated, and keep your focus! If you're not doing it already, start training for this undertaking — you can start by doing something as simple as walking about 30 minutes a day. Stay on top of your fundraising: engage your family, friends, and co-workers. And most important — get excited!

Please don't hesitate to reach out and contact me at any time regarding your questions or concerns. I'm looking forward to working with you all in the coming months to make this year's Challenge Walk an unparalleled success!

Lori is the Executive Vice President of Resource Development for the Greater New England Chapter of the National MS Society.

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October update

Written by Kara on October 26, 2010 at 12:19 pm

Dear MS Challenge Walkers and Crew,

Can you believe it's almost been 2 months since the 2010 MS Challenge Walk? Thank you again for all of your hard work and dedication to make this year's event such a success! This brings us 2 months closer to the 2011 MS Challenge Walk on September 9–11 and a step closer to a cure.

2011 MS Challenge Walk Registration

Registration for the 2011 MS Challenge Walk (September 9-11, 2011) is open online. Next September will be our 10th annual walk. Come celebrate with us as we have raised $11.5 million dollars over these years towards a cure.

In order to take advantage of the pre-registration discount of $50 off the $75 registration fee, please register online with the discount coupon code: CWPREREG

Even if you have already pre-registered at the Pre-Finish BBQ, you will still have to go online to register with the discount code to confirm your participation. This special offer for past walkers and crew will expire on October 31, 2010, so register today — and be sure to RSVP on Facebook, too!

We look forward to having you all back in 2011!

Fundraising Prizes — Deadline Extended!

For those who have raised $2,500, you have the opportunity to claim a messenger bag with the MS Challenge Walk logo and "Top Fundraiser" on it. If you have raised $5,000, you are eligible to receive the messenger bag AND an aluminum water bottle with the MS Challenge Walk logos on them. Those who have raised $10,000 or more are eligible for the messenger bag, an aluminum water bottle, and a long sleeved wicking shirt with the MS Challenge Walk logos on it!

If you wish to claim your prize, please contact the NMSS before this Friday, Oct. 29, to ensure you are included in the order. Or, you can donate your prize back to the National MS Society to ensure that the money you raised goes that much further.

Speaking of fundraising, we encourage all walkers and crew to continue fundraising towards a cure. If you haven't done so already, send out an email to your friends, family and colleagues about the amazing time you had at the Challenge Walk and how they can still donate towards your efforts. We are accepting money for the 2010 Challenge Walk until November 15th so keep fundraising!

Thanks again!

Once again, thank you so much for walking at the MS Challenge Walk. You should feel proud that your every step this weekend helped give hope to the 19,000 individuals with MS and their families in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2011 MS Challenge Walk!

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Greater New England Chapter
101A First Avenue, Suite 6
Waltham, MA 02451
800-344-4867

Kara is the former Development Coordinator for the Greater New England Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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