35,550 Supporters Raise Nearly $2 Million at Five Walk Now for Autism Events
The 2009 Walk Now for Autism spring season rolled on the past two weekends, with five events taking place in California, Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania. More than 35,000 people participated, raising almost $2 million.
On Saturday, April 18, 6,000 walkers gathered at Sherman Library Green on the Nova Southeastern University campus in Davie, Fla. for the ninth annual Broward County Walk Now for Autism, raising nearly $343,000. Former State Senator Steven Geller (D - District 31), State Rep. Ari Porth (D - District 96), and Maureen Jaeger, Special Assistant to Governor Charlie Crist, presented Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr with a signed copy of the Senator Steven A. Geller Autism Coverage Act. Special guests at the Walk included Miami Dolphins players David Martin, Anthony Armstrong, Will Billingsley and Bryan Courtney who signed autographs
Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr is joined onstage by South Florida Walk Director Jackie Merens, Miami Dolphins President Jeff Ireland and his family, head coach Tony Sparano and Walk Chairs Ysela Heim and Dianne Orr.
prior to the Walk. Walkers also enjoyed a surprise appearance by Miami Dolphins President Jeff Ireland and his family along with Head Coach Tony Sparano. Many thanks go to Walk Chairs Dianne Orr and Ysela Heim for making the event such a success. Read more and view additional photos
here.
Although Cumberland is a very small community with a population of just 21,000 people, participants traveled anywhere from 45 minutes to one and a half hours from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland to attend the seventh annual Cumberland Tri-State Walk Now for Autism. 550 walkers joined the event at Allegany College of Maryland, which was held under sunny skies for the first time since its inception, and raised more than $58,000. Many thanks to Marcy Hardinger, who has served as Walk Chair since the event began in 2003. Read more and view additional photos
here.
Toys"R"Us' Geoffrey leads more than 500 walkers under sunny skies at the Cumberland Tri-State Walk Now for Autism.
In Allentown, Penn., 9,000 people walked at Lehigh Parkway for the third annual Lehigh Valley Walk Now for Autism. The walkers, on 357 walk teams, raised over $410,000. Walk Chair Karen Barbarics welcomed the crowd, followed by speakers including Autism Speaks Executive Vice President Peter Bell, U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15), and Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. Miss Pennsylvania 2007 Rachel Brooks sang the National Anthem, and then the ceremonial ribbon was cut by
Walk Chair Karen Barbarics with her sons, Blake and Jack
team Brad's Brigade's Brad Jacksits and Geoffrey the Giraffe from Toys"R"Us to begin the Walk. Read more and view additional photos
here.
The weekend's Walks ended on a high note in Northern California where 1,000 walkers raised $75,000 at the fourth annual Sonoma Walk Now for Autism at Infineon Raceway. Special guests included Sonoma's Chief of Police Bret Sackett, who has two nephews with autism, and Lisa Gallipoli, Autism Speaks' national director of field operations. Special thanks to Walk Chair Ali Magdaleno, Logistics Chair Dave House, the rest of the 2009 Planning Committee, and the staff at Infineon Raceway. Read more and view additional photos
here.
Members of the 2009 Grand Club are recognized onstage at the Sonoma Walk.
The seventh annual Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday, April 25. The Walk attracted 17,000 participants this year and raised $1.1 million. A number of celebrities and their families participated in the Walk, including actress, parent, advocate and Autism Speaks Board Member Holly Robinson Peete; actor James Denton; and “Days of our Lives” cast members James Reynolds, Bryan Dattilo, Terrell Ransom, Jr., and Taylor Spreitler. The nation's largest Walk Now for Autism resource fair featured an astonishing lineup of
This colorful team represented just a portion of the 17,000 walkers who enjoyed the seventh annual Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism at the Rose Bowl!
127 booths. Special thanks to returning Walk Chair Priscilla Picard for making this Walk so successful. Read more and view additional photos
here.
All reported fundraising totals are "to-date" - teams are still raising money and the sites are still accepting donations. The next Walk Now for Autism events will be held the first weekend of May in
Georgia, New Jersey
and
Utah.
Kick-off events for future Walks are taking place across the country;
click here
to find an event near you.
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