"The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia""The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia"
Image description: Mountain State Centers for Independent Living logo with fireworks over the mountain, one person walking, one person rolling in a wheelchair.
Printed underneath - Walk for Independence 2008
Image description:
Banner: Walk for Independence
Image description:
Rebecca Thacker, MTSTCIL board member
Image description:
Mary Stratton, from River Park Hospital and MTSTCIL board member distributing t-shirts
Image description:
Family wearing Walk t-shirts at registration table
It started off as a typical West Virginia summer day - hot, hazy and humid. As the first walkers started off the sun peaked out from behind the clouds and was shining down on us.
To get us all fired up, we had a DJ setting the beat and warming us up.
Charlotte Jenkins and her beautiful voice have become a standard at the annual Walk for Independence and she joined us again this year and sang the Star Spangled banner.
Thank you Starbucks! - for being the first community sponsor who signed on for this year's Walk. Starbucks also had a team walking and brought along their delicious Starbucks coffee to help us get moving.
Governor Manchin was out of town and was sorry that he could not join us on the Walk, and asked Chris Tatum to attend in his place. Chris read us a letter from the Governor in which the Governor spoke of his continued support of Olmstead and his support for creating Disability Awareness Week in West Virginia.
Welcome to all our old friends who continue to support us every year and support the work of Mountain State Centers for Independent Living and the Community Living Services Program. Proceeds from the Walk benefit the Community Living Services Program.
Spotted in the crowd was a representative from one of our newest community sponsors St. Mary's Medical Center. Doug Korstanje, director of marketing and community relations, at St. Mary's Medical Center and his two young daughters signed up to walk. Thanks for joining us!
Isn't that the guy from Channel 13? Yes! Dee DeLancey registered and joined us as a walker. Thanks for coming out Dee! After completing the Walk he took a few moments to interview Anne Weeks, CEO at Mountain State Centers for Independent Living, Susan Weinberger, board chair at MTSTCIL, several people who are consumers at MTSTCIL and others who walked with us.
We even have a few four legged friends. Spotted in the crowd was a Great Dane that was bigger than most of the people walking. Hey - did he register?
Also joining us was Brice, a dashing black Chihuahua dressed in patriotic garb outfitted as a caped crusader!
As the over 200 people started down the path on Ritner Park here in Huntington, WV we were joined by a Red Hot Chilli Pepper. Check out the sizzling costume on this hot day.
To keep us cool and hydrated - always remember to drink plenty of water when exercising on these hot days - our own Kevin Maynus, from the Beckley Mountain State Centers for Independent Living office, provided ten cases of water with the Walk logo printed on the bottles. Thanks Kevin!
The VA Medical Center joined us at the Walk for Independence 2008, brought a flag and led us in the pledge of allegiance. Thank you for being with us and your continued support. Meet our friends from the VA Medical Center.
Cabell County Health Department from here in Huntington joined us today to talk to us about the importance of immunizations for children, to distribute information about free pap tests and related mammogram brochures and provide other health related information. But mainly they were here to talk to us about their Walk It Up Program, a program to encourage people to walk 30 minutes a day for their health.
We had over 18 teams registered. Take a minute to meet the teams. Several of our old friends returned to walk again, including HIMG, ABLE / CAC, Huntington Health and Rehab and Turnpike Ford. Turnpike Ford won the award again this year for the team with the most members. We welcome several first time teams including St. Mary's Medical Center, Starbucks and Enable Group.
ESPN Radio 930, WRVC in Huntington, WV - Natalie Tennant interviewed our own Tina Smith about the Walk for Independence 2008 on Friday, July 18. Listen to the podcast of this interview. The interview with Tina starts about half-way through the podcast.
It's official! The 2009 Walk for Independence will be held at Ritter Park on Saturday, July 25, 2009. Mark your calendars now and plan to walk with us next year. See you then!
The mission of Mountain State Centers for Independent Living is to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The mission of the Foundation for Independent Living is to create resource development initiatives to provide financial support to Mountain State Centers for Independent Living.
