MS Challenge Blog -- Walking Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for a cure for multiple sclerosis

MS Challenge Walk 2011 in photos

Written by Ken on September 26, 2011 at 12:33 pm

The annual MS Challenge Walk produces memories that last a lifetime, remembered in our hearts and thoughts but also in photos. Last year, we had many photo galleries by which to remember the walk: four albums by Andrew and Zach Child and eight albums by walkers.

That total of 12 was exactly doubled this year, with an overwhelming 24 27 albums posted to Facebook! Thanks to everyone who shared their unique takes on the event. You can click through the below images to find the full galleries.

David of Baldi's MS Busters	Donna
Brooke of Blister Buddies	Ken of MSchief Makers
Brian of Walk With Wheels	Colleen of Cocktails for a Cure
Steve of Team Brian	Renee
Jacqui of Whittaker's Warriors	Wendy of WWW
Yasamin of WWW	Mike of Bonnie's Believers
Andrew Child - Friday (1 of 2)	Andrew Child - Friday (2 of 2)
Zach Child - Friday	Dan & Susan Young - Friday (1 of 2)
Dan & Susan Young - Friday (2 of 2)	Andrew Child - Saturday
Zach Child - Saturday	Dan & Susan Young - Saturday (1 of 3)
Dan & Susan Young - Saturday (2 of 3)	Dan & Susan Young - Saturday (3 of 3)
Andrew Child - Sunday (1 of 2)	Andrew Child - Sunday (2 of 2)
Zach Child - Sunday	Dan & Susan Young - Sunday (1 of 2)
Dan & Susan Young - Sunday (2 of 2)

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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Adults-only Halloween party

Written by Events on September 22, 2011 at 7:39 pm

Start:: Oct 22, 2011 7:00 pm
End:: Oct 22, 2011 11:55 pm
Cost:: $20 per person/$35 per couple

Venue:: Attleboro Elks Club #1014
Address: Google Map: 887 South Main Street, Attleboro, MA, United States, 02703

Team Walk With Wendy invites you to an adults-only Halloween party! The fun starts at the Attleboro Elks Club at 887 South Main Street, Attleboro, MA, on Saturday, October 22, at 7 PM and goes until midnight. Tickets are $20/person or $35/couple and includes a buffet dinner, dancing to the music of SoundSmith Productions, a "Best Costume" contest with a cash prize, 50-50 raffle, and cas bar.

Come have a great time with friends and help us to move one step closer to a cure for MS! Tickets are available until October 17 by emailing teamwww@verizon.net. Tickets for tables sold together may be reserved. Also be sure to RSVP on Facebook.

This is the events calendar, featuring official NMSS rallies and meetings as well as volunteer-sponsored fundraisers. Want to see your event listed here? Please submit the details, and we'll add it!

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Share your photos!

Written by Ken on September 21, 2011 at 7:42 pm

A highlight of the MS Challenge Walk is the nightly slideshow, showcasing the champions and moments of each of the first two days. Several photographers contribute to this collection, and many more shutterbugs exist along the fifty-mile route.

Did you take some photos during your weekend on Cape Cod? If so, I want to know! If you've posted your photos to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, or elsewhere on the Internet, and haven't already been in touch with me, please drop me a note with the link to your online album. I'm collecting links to all the memories the walkers and crew have captured and will be posting them all here and on the event's Facebook page.

I look forward to seeing everyone's smiling faces again!

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Order an Orange Blossom from Edible Arrangements

Written by Events on September 15, 2011 at 8:00 am

Start:: Sep 11, 2011 8:00 am
End:: Sep 30, 2011 5:00 pm

Venue:: Edible Arrangements
Address: Google Map: MA, United States

Edible Arrangements in MA & NH have partnered with the National MS Society, Greater New England Chapter. For every "Orange Blossom" purchased between September 11th and 30th from an MA or NH store they will donated $5 to the National MS Society, in support of the MS Challenge Walk. Please call or visit Edible Arrangements today to place your order!

Walkers saw Edible Arrangement staff at a rest stop giving out free samples AND they were at the finish in Hyannis as well.

Thank Edible Arrangements for their support AND have a donation made to the National MS Society by purchasing an Orange Blossom today!

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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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MS Challenge Walk 2011

Written by Events on September 9, 2011 at 7:46 pm

Start:: Sep 9, 2011
End:: Sep 11, 2011

Venue:: Cape Cod
Phone:: 800-344-4867
Address: Google Map: Hyannis, MA, United States

The tenth annual MS Challenge Walk invites you to walk three days and 50 miles to raise money for and awareness of multiple sclerosis. The MS Challenge Walk pushes you to exceed what you think are your limits, physically and philanthropically. The MS Challenge Walk benefits MS education, support, advocacy, and research through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. It's not about being athletic — it's about showing compassion. Join our commitment to raise funds for and awareness of a disease that affects thousands of families in our area. Join our commitment to end this devastating disease. Join our commitment on this life-changing journey.

Register to join 600 other walkers and 200 support crew as either a sole walker, a member of an existing team, the captain of your own team, or a member of our crew.

Once you're registered, please also RSVP for the event on Facebook!

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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.]

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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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3 Days, 50 Miles