EVENT TO PROMOTE THE AWARENESS OF ALS, A MOTOR NEURON DISEASE WITH NO CURE

Vi Jones-Medusky, longtime friend to H.U.R.T., and a great athlete, participated in running and ulltrarunning (remember Vi finishing the relay with her walker the last few years at Run to the Sun?), triathlons, surfing, paddling- you name it! She worked at Kaiser as a nurse, and recently obtained her masters degree in nursing. Although ALS now has severely limited Vi’s activities, she maintains a cheerful and positive attitude in her difficult daily life. She believes there will eventually be a cure for the disease, given funds for more research. Vi’s earnest quest is to is to raise awareness in hopes of promoting this research.

Well known local watercolor artist, Peggy Chun, was diagnosed with ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2002- she is no longer able to paint, but has done 100’s of paintings that you can see on her website (peggychun.com). Peggy generously allowed Vi to select any one of her paintings for the race tee-shirt. She bravely continues to battle ALS- please visit her blog (pegslegs.blogspot.com) that posts many informative links regarding ALS, and shows almost a daily diary of activities around Peggy’s home with her family and many volunteers.

MDA(who has been instrumental in leading the search for treatment)  and H.U.R.T. join in organizing "Vi’s Adventure Trek and Run" on October 18, at the picturesque Kualoa Ranch in Kaaawa Valley, near Chinaman’s Hat. This will be a 4-mile walk-run (anything goes- Vi will be attempting the route in her big wheeler wheel chair!) It starts on a jeep road, passes down through a cow pasture, (bring your red capes) wades across a wet stream, and scrambles up a steep little hill to the rugged trail that brings you back out of the valley to the finish. Awards (lovely little Peggy Chun paintings) will be given randomly to the finishers, and every entrant will receive their special Vi’s t-shirt with the Peggy Chun painting of the Koolaus on the back. We will picnic afterwards in the park until about 11:30 am.

Click here for the application for the event– sign up early, we have a 250 entrant limit!

Click here for a map of the course and directions to the entrance at Kaawa Valley

HELP!: We need about 15-20 volunteers to help direct vehicles into the park through the back entrance, up to the start area, and to help with sign-in and course marshaling of the course. Any volunteers that enter the race are invited to do the course the day before (Friday afternoon) when we mark the course, or even on race morning once they finish their duties.

We will also be posting a map of the course shortly.
Any questions, call HURT Central (235-0577)