PAW Prints
By Marge Moylan
These
days when I see a paw print of any kind, it brings to mind the P.A.W.
(Parkinson Awareness Walk) held each year on the campus of the Presbyterian
Home for Central NY in New Hartford.
This yearŐs PAW, the 4th Annual, took place on Saturday, September 16,
and was a great success on many fronts.
The walk is dual purpose: raising money for the completion of the
ParkinsonŐs wing at the home and raising awareness of ParkinsonŐs disease, not
only in the Parkinson community, but in the general population as well.
It
was a good day for a walk, cloudy and cool, but not cold, with no clear cut
threat of rain, just a minor spritzing now and then. By the 10 AM starting time the parking lot beside the 210
building was filled with eager walkers, a few riders, a few clowns, and an
abundance of helpful volunteers, many of whom were hockey players from Utica
and Hamilton Colleges.
At
the center of the enthusiasm and a cause of the excitement of many in the crowd
was the 2006 Honoree and Grand Marshal of the walk, Benny Mardones. A Grammy nominated singer and
songwriter, BennyŐs song, ŇInto the NightÓ topped the charts twice. Five years ago Benny was diagnosed with
ParkinsonŐs. Never one to be a
quitter, Benny has vowed to fight this new enemy with everything he has. In the past Benny raised more than a
million dollars for the ChildrenŐs Miracle Network. He has beaten an addiction to drugs with the help of friends
and a solid base of fans for support.
He now plans to take on PD doing all he can do to beat it too! This man is a genuine source of
inspiration for Parkies, their families and friends.
The
walk certainly did not lack for sources of inspiration. You had only to look around to see the
dedication of the staff of the nursing home, the support of the folks at
the Meadows and the other campus residences as they cheered the
walkers on. DonŐt forget the
teams, many of them repeat walkers: Team Jerry, Team Terry, the Schachtler
Factor, the Seymour Petrie Team, our own CNYPSG team, ŇParkinsonians on the
MoveÓ and a new name for a team
that has walked before, PIPS - Presbyterians Investing in Parkinson
Services. This team from the Ilion
Presbyterian Church turned in $559, while the team from the New Hartford Presbyterian
Church handed in a whopping $4000.
Before the walk started, the total was $17,000. Money continues to come in. We will
keep you posted.
***On
a personal note two of the proudest people to be found after the walk were
CNYPSG members Bob Luberda and Marge Moylan, who were both grinning from ear to
ear because they had walked the entire mile, Bob pushing his wheelchair and
Marge her walker.
**************
Coming up in October:
Our 10th Annual Parkinson Education Day
The
Medical School of the University of Rochester again is providing us with speakers. This time the topic is Caregiving. The speakers are a nurse and a
social worker from the Movement Disorders Unit. Nita Gardiner, an RN with 17 years
experience working in clinical research and coordinating drug studies, will
speak on caregiving itself. Then
we will hear from Amy Chesire, a social worker who will cover the subject of
taking care of the caregiver.
There will be plenty of time for questions. And refreshments!! DonŐt
forget. This meeting will not be
at the church. We will meet at the
Presbyterian Home in the Emmaus Room at 1:00 PM.
