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.
Danielle was a Development Manager for the Greater New England Chapter of the National MS Society, managing MS Challenge Walk 2011 and 2012. Prior to joining the staff of the National MS Society, Danielle served as a crew team captain during the 2009 and 2010 MS Challenge Walks.
When you engage in fundraising for the MS Challenge Walk, you're not only raising money; you're also raising awareness. Despite MS afflicting 400,000 Americans, many people do not know exactly what this condition is or how it affects their loved ones. When confronted with questions about MS, you may not always have a good answer. If you try to be specific, you can watch their eyes glaze over as you explain that "multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath that helps conduct electrical impulses throughout the nervous system" — what a mouthful! And even that biological perspective doesn't convey what it's like to live with MS. So how do you succinctly tell people what this cause is that you're walking 50K for?
Songwriter Kristie Salerno Kent can answer these questions for you, as she knows something about MS herself:
A few years after Kristie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University, Kristie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis … She decided that she was not going to give up her dreams of performing just because of her MS diagnosis. Kristie took on the role of an MS Lifelines Ambassador and travels the country speaking and singing for others who are affected by the disease. Now her performances are for a purpose and not just entertainment.
Kristie doesn't have to come to your neighborhood to give a speech about MS. Her YouTube video, "The Show Must Go On", is something you can send to your friends and family to help them understand the experience and condition that is MS.
There are several more excellent videos that give other perspectives on multiple sclerosis. Since my mom has MS, one of my favorites is "My Fight with MS", by Kyle Surkovich, whose father has MS.
These videos will help you raise funds for and awareness of multiple sclerosis, bringing us a step closer to a world without it!
Ken 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 an alumnus of the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.
The Participation Confirmation and Housing Form is now online. All walkers and crew participating in the MS Challenge Walk must complete this 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 would appreciate you providing this info by August 1st.
We will do everything we can to accommodate your needs, but priority will be given to those who submit these forms first. We will not be sending out paper forms, 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.
A reminder that August 1st — two weeks from today — is the deadline for you to submit your participation confirmation and housing form. A postal copy was mailed to you the first week of June, but you can save a stamp fill it out online. The NMSS needs this information to arrange your housing for the weekend of the MS Challenge Walk. Whether or not you are staying at the Cape Cod Sea Camps in Brewster, please take a moment to fill it out.
Ken 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 an alumnus of the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.
