Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS, and every 90 minutes someone loses their battle with ALS—but advocates aren’t missing a step in the fight. On September 11, individuals and families across the Peoria area will participate in Mini-Walks to Defeat ALS, raising awareness and funds for those battling the fatal neuromuscular disease.
When the pandemic made an in-person event impossible last year, the “Mini-Walk” format was born: providing walkers the tools needed to host their own smaller versions of the event. Their creativity and dedication led to unprecedented levels of awareness, while still meeting fundraising goals. The Mini-Walk format was recognized by Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum as a 2020 Program of the Year—inspiring other nonprofits acrossthe country.
“Those battling ALS can’t wait, so we knew the Peoria Walk couldn’t wait either,” notes Samantha Courter, an ALS Association staff member who lost her grandfather to the disease in 2016. “We just needed to find a new way to make that support possible.”
Participants can sign up online to access teambuilding and fundraising tools, among other resources. The event hopes to raise $150,000 in 2021 to support ALS care services, research and advocacy efforts.web.alsa.org/peoriawalk PM
