A Recap of Wednesday's Conference Call

The first of this summer’s Challenge Walk MS conference calls was held last night at 6 p.m. These monthly calls are a chance for first-time participants to learn more about what to expect during Challenge Walk MS weekend, and for return participants to find out what’s new for the 2013 event. Callers are also able to ask questions, and pick up fundraising and training ideas from other participants. New topics are addressed each month.

Highlights from the discussion are as follows:

Numbers Update: Currently 114 are registered and more signing up each week! There’s still room left for more, so recruit family members and friends to join or ask them to donate: challengewalkMSwi.org, 800-242-3358.

• Volunteers are equally important to Challenge Walk MS success and so far 13 Super Crew and 28 Crew have signed up. (Both Super Crew and Crew are volunteers. The difference is that Crew members have committed to coming up for the weekend, paying for their own expenses and volunteering where needed; Super Crew members volunteer as needed but commit to raising the $1,500 or more. In exchange, their accommodations are provided.)
• This year’s fundraising goal is $415,000. Blew that out of the water last year – we have no doubt it will be a repeat year, especially with the many DIYs coming up and other fundraising being done in the weeks before the event.
• If you have donations in advance, feel free to send to the office. It speeds up the process for everyone and makes for a faster check in at the event.

Deadlines: August 21 is the when the minimum pledge of $1,500 must be submitted. Also the date to identify your intention to be in the Celebration Club (walkers and super crew who pledge to raise $2,500 or more). Gives staff time to put together the extra perks for you. There is a Promise to Pay form that extends the deadline to Sept. 23. All we need is your contact info and credit card. (We don’t charge the card; if we do need to use it we give you a call and let you know.) That extra month can be helpful for everyone.

Route: 30 and 50 mile option available. Routes will take walkers through Egg Harbor, Clark Park and Peninsula State Park. New this year: the Day 2 route will begin at Alpine.

Support Options: Medical, Support And Gear (SAG) Vehicles to transport walkers, rest stops along the route to provide snacks along the way, water, medical assistance, bathroom breaks.

Half-day Bags: Small bags with items you want available to you at lunch (e.g. extra shoes, change of socks or clothes, Chap Stick, etc.) Staff members collect the bags at the start line and deliver them to the lunch stop for you, then take the bags to the finish line. Weather is often cooler in the morning and warmer in the afternoon, so it’s handy to have the option for adding or taking off layers at the mid-point of the day. (Note: Participants provide their own bags.)

Thursday Night: There is an option to book a room for Thursday night, allowing you to get checked in, pick up your welcome bag, etc. rather than doing it Friday morning. Chapter staff will call you at the end of August/early September to make arrangements for you. In your registration form, you can select the option; if you or someone else forgot or changed plans, call the Chapter and let staff know. (Note: for overnight accommodations throughout the weekend, cottages sleep a larger number of people, the lodge rooms sleep 1-2. Chapter staff helps make those arrangements and will verify them with you to make sure they are OK.)

Massage Reservations: One of the highlights of the event and a way to decompress after a day of walking is by getting a massage. The terrific massage therapists from Signature Body & Mind Solutions will again be set up at Alpine to provide massages on Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening. No reservations are required, although advanced reservations can be made online. 15-minute sessions cost $1 per minute.

Letters of Inspiration: Your family, friends and colleagues can send personal letters, cards or notes ahead of time that will be delivered to you through the weekend. It helps you stay motivated and inspired. Ask them to mail them to the Wisconsin Chapter office (1120 James Dr., Ste. A, Hartland, WI 53029) or email them to jamie.baker@nmss.org. Deadline to receive them is September 13.

Where the Money Goes: The money goes to fuel a lot of research and programs by the National MS Society, with 84 cents of every dollar going to the mission. Examples: financial assistance for home/vehicle modifications; more than 350 research projects currently funded. Twenty years ago there were no FDA-approved treatments for MS; today there are 10, including two new oral therapies in the past year. Donations to Challenge Walk MS helped make that happen. The Chapter has a three-star Charity Navigator rating and is a Better Business Bureau-accredited charity.

Photos and Quotes: All participants are asked to provide a photo and quote that will be used during the weekend. Please provide a photo of yourself from Challenge Walk MS in a previous year, or you and the person you walk for, or of your family or team. Also send us a quote about why you walk or a quote that inspires you. Photos should be no larger than 1 MB in jpg format. Quote should be short (1-2 sentences). Email them to jamie.baker@nmss.org by August 31.  

Challenge Walk MS Blog: It’s been started up again as we head into this year’s event. Find it at

http://challengewalkmsdoorcounty.blogspot.com/ (If you’re reading this, you have found it.) Read posts from past years and new ones coming in the next few weeks. Special thanks to four veteran walkers – Jill Jones, Jackie Piper, Marian Rezel and Lori Rousseau – who have committed to writing for it. Additional bloggers are always wanted. If you’re interested, call Maureen at 262-369-4421 or email her at maureen.waslicki@nmss.org. Subscribe to receive updates when new posts are added, which will be every week between now and the end of September.

Posters: Will be sent out beginning next week, two to each registered participant. Use them to help you raise money, recruit more walkers or volunteers, and raise awareness. Additional copies are available at the Challenge Walk MS website’s Fundraising Headquarters, which has other tools helpful in your efforts.

Open Discussion/Questions and Tips:

Q: When does the walk start?
A: By 8 a.m. each morning. Medical is available before you begin all three mornings if you need it. It will be an open window for starting but everyone is required to be on the route by 8.

Q: How long does it take?
A: In past years, some walked from 8 to 4:30. Others with a faster pace are done in the early afternoon.

Q: What are we walking on, asphalt or gravel?
A: Mainly roadways and wider trails that cars can access, so asphalt and sidewalks.

Tips from Past Participants:

• Invest in a really good pair of walking shoes. May go through three pairs before you find one that works well for you.
• Buy some padded socks from a running store. Put them on at lunch – highly recommended. They make a huge difference.

Also of Note:

• Routes will be similar this year, although we’ll leave from Alpine on Saturday as well as Sunday morning instead of traveling to another start location. This will give everyone more time with medical assistance in the morning, allowing people to leave on their own pace by 8 a.m.
• Money raised by anything brought in for the silent auction goes to your fundraising total.

-Higher-end items are preferred – a quilt or painting or robust gift basket.

-Please let the Chapter staff know what you will be providing (description, value, who should receive the $ credit) by September 13.

-Volunteers are being sought to run the silent auction this year, so if you have ideas or would like to help, please let Chapter staff know.

• Two more conference calls: Wednesday, August 14 and Wednesday, September 11, both at 6 p.m. When calling in, you can press *6 to mute your line (#6 to unmute) to block out any background noise on your end.
• One of the topics that will be addressed on the August call is the silent auction. If there are additional topics you would like covered, please email Jamie Baker at jamie.baker@nmss.org.

Thank you for accepting the challenge!