Walk raises $31,000 for MS Society

April 22, 2002|BY SARAH MULLIN

martinsburg@herald-mail.com

A five-mile charity walk at Antietam National Battlefield Saturday raised $31,000 for the local and national chapters of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, walk officials said.

Lisa Scrivener, who was in charge of registering the walkers, said about 282 people showed up to participate in the event, which lasted about four hours.

"It was festive," she said. "We had a good time."

Scrivener's brother-in-law, Bill Scrivener, was diagnosed with MS in 1991.

She said a lot of the participants were family members of people affected by MS, a chronic disease of the central nervous system, while other walkers had MS in various forms.

The money raised this year fell short about $20,000 of the expected goal and was about $10,000 below the amount raised last year.

Scrivener said people have attributed the decrease in funds to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks - which have created other needs to which people have contributed - and the economy. She said some large sponsors from previous years did not participate this year.

The money raised is divvied up between the local and national chapters, with 60 percent going to the local chapter and 40 percent to the national chapter.

The Maryland Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, hopes to raise $850,000 from a series of Maryland walks, officials said.

The money is used for medical research, awareness and support programs.

A walk will be held today beginning at 1 p.m. at Baker Park in Frederick, Md. Pre-registration is not required.

|

|

|