The 15th Parkinson’s Unity Walk brought thousands of people out to Central Park this past Saturday, April 25th, for a day of community and education.  

We spend all year planning this event, and words cannot describe what it is like to see it all come together.

I look at it from 2 points of view…as the Event Director and as a person touched by PD.  Here are my thoughts of the day from both views:

As the Event Director for the largest grassroots fundraiser for PD in the country, it is a year of planning, coordinating and finalizing details.  Thousands of people count on the PUW office to offer a day of community and education.  Our goal is to provide the people with PD, their caregivers, children, family, friends and co-workers a place to go where they can get answers to any and all of their questions and concerns about PD.  In addition, we strive to give them a feeling of belonging, an inspiring program and an enjoyable day that includes a gentle 2 mile walk through Central Park.  When I take a step back in the middle of the day, and see thousands of people filling Central Park, it is so much more than a feeling of accomlishment.

As a person touched by PD (my father in law lived with it for the last 30 years of his life), it is so unbelievably touching to see so many people determined to find a cause and cure for this disease.  When he was alive and living with PD, there were not a lot of options.  He was taking Levodopa, but that is all.  Almost all the other issues he had went untreated, basically due to lack of knowledge.  Seeing so many people doing so well with their PD is very promising for the future of others getting diagnosed. 

Being a part of this incredible community is more than I could have ever imagined when I was offered this opportunity.  So thank you, all of you, for letting me into your lives.

Always,
Stacie

Can’t join us in NYC? Watch the 15th Annual Parkinson’s Unity Walk Webcast online!The Parkinson’s Unity Walk is a one-of-a-kind event that annually celebrates the hard work and spirit of the PD community worldwide, but you don’t have to miss out if you can’t make it to Central Park on April 25th.

Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is sponsoring the webcast for the Unity Walk’s 15th Anniversary, meaning you can see friends and family participating in the walk; hear from leading physicians, advocates and industry leaders; and celebrate with us at the “Finish” line — all from the comfort of your own computer screen.

The webcast will begin at 2 p.m. ET on the day of the walk – Saturday, April 25 – on our website, www.unitywalk.org and will feature the entire podium program, interviews with representatives from all of the booths along Find-A-Cure Boulevard, answers to some of your questions via our “Ask A Doctor” segments, shout-outs from your friends at the walk and coverage as the teams cross the finish line.  You can even pause the video, take your own “Unity Walk” with family and friends around your neighborhood, and come back to see the end of the webcast.

The webcast will also be archived all year on the UnityWalk.org site so that you can catch up if you miss it and share it with friends.

The Unity Walk Webcast is sponsored by
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

As you’re probably aware from my previous posts, the Parkinson’s community will once again come together this April in New York City’s Central Park for the annual Parkinson’s Unity Walk. This year, Saturday, April 25, marks the 15^th Annual Walk to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s disease research. With support from people like you, the event has grown from 200 participants in 1994 to more than 10,000 last year, and this year we’re taking it another step further.

By now I’m sure you’ve gotten very excited about the upcoming Walk, just like I have! And maybe you’ve been wondering how you could take part without traveling to New York? Well, wonder no more! I have some great news — with help from our proud partner and premier sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., we are excited to announce the first-ever VIRTUAL Parkinson’s Unity Walk. 

The Virtual Parkinson’s Unity Walk will provide you with the opportunity to donate and take part in this important and special community event from the comfort of your home.

So, if you can’t join us in Central Park, let your fingers do the walking, click on the link below and sign up to be a virtual walker! Whether you’re at home or in Central Park, a single step can change the life of a person with Parkinson’s disease. Please, take that step today….

Visit www.unitywalk.org/virtual

to join the Virtual Parkinson’s Unity Walk

I would like to share the following from Margot Zobel, Founder, Parkinson’s Unity Walk.  In 1994, Margot planned the first Parkinson’s Unity Walk.  She brought 200 people together and they collectively raised $16,000.  At that time, Margot set a goal that 100% of all donations received go directly to PD research.  This goal is still met today.

Every few months, Margot will add her words of wisdom to the Unity Walk’s website, in Margot’s corner.  Please visit www.unitywalk.org to see past inserts, and please read below for the most recent:

As April 25th approaches, I’m feeling the usual pre-Walk excitement.

I had the great opportunity to be a part of the Parkinson’s Action Network’s Annual Forum again this year.  Upon arriving in Washington, DC on Sunday, March 15th, I was surrounded by the most incredible community, the Parkinson’s disease community.  We heard from knowledgeable and interesting speakers for two days, and so many of them commented on how our community is so strong.  This is because of the people that are a part of it.

On Tuesday, March 17th, myself along with hundreds of Parkinson’s advocates from across the country met with their Members of Congress on Capitol Hill as a part of the PAN Forum.  We stood in solidarity with more than one million Americans living with Parkinson’s disease as we asked our Members of Congress the following:

*Sign onto the Dear Colleague requesting $55 million for the Department of Defense Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson’s Research (NETPR) program.
*Cosponsor the National MS and PD Registries Act.  The Senate bill is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.
*Join the Bicameral Congressional Caucus on Parkinson’s disease.

The feedback that was received by my group, consisting of such a great and caring group of NJ Constituents, was positive, and I believe our ‘asks’ will be very highly considered. 

I can’t wait to report back to you on the outcome of every-one’s hard work and dedicated commitment to the cause.

All the Best,
Stacie

Today in Washington, DC, President Obama signed an Executive Order amending the Federal Stem Cell Research Policy.  Once signed, the President received a standing ovation from an audience of the country’s top researchers, advocates and politicians.

We have a lot to celebrate, and a lot of work to do.  Christopher Reeve said the thing that always kept him going was HOPE.  And now, after 8 years of having our hands tied, researchers will have freedom to pursue this critical research.  Eight years of advocacy made this day possible!

Research takes time…thank goodness science builds on itself.  With technology, the sequencing of the human genome, just to name a couple, we have more hope for therapies that will enhance the quality of life and provide more information towards understanding the cause and cure of Parkinson’s disease.

Let’s make the 15^th Walk the biggest ever! 

Don’t forget that 100% of all donations go directly to research. 

AND don’t forget they all said we couldn’t pass the Udall Bill, and we did!

Come to Central Park, NY on Saturday, April 25^th, and help us celebrate the 15^th Walk and the hopes of a promising future.  If you can’t make it to NY, you can join us by watching our webcast.  You can find more information about the Walk and the webcast on our website, www.unitywalk.org.

Hello,  I have been attending seminars/webinars/conference calls, you name it, on how to take technology to the next level.   Everyone says that facebook, myspace and LinkedIn are great ways to communicate and spread awareness, and that updating our website is another great way to communicate and pass along information.

So, for the last few months, Kat and I have been posting, logging, recording, doing everything we can to get more involved within our online communities.  And, we have not done that bad!!!  Our network of friends and people in our cause grows daily and our website has seen a lot more traffic.

Now for the hard part-to make all of this work for the Walk.  Last week we posted a note (actually it was a status update) about local resources to get banners and shirts, and we received responses from quite a few people. This morning we did one inviting everyone to begin their team on this snowy Monday morning.  And again, we are receiving positive responses from people.

So my friends, I am inviting you to join our community online.  You are already a part of it, but I want you to really join in.  Please use our forum on our website, or wall on our social community accounts, to share information with other fundraisers, to invite people to join your team, to make plans to meet in NYC, you name it-get involved.  It is fun, easy, and you can learn new things or share your knowledge!

If you have any other suggestions on ways to really grow our online community, or to encourage donations through these communities, please let me know!

We are all in this together!!!
All the Best,
Stacie

Not able to come to NYC for the Walk?  Thanks to Solvay Pharmaceuticals, the 15^th Parkinson’s Unity Walk will be webcast.

The webcast will take place the same day of the Walk, Saturday, April 25, 2009.  It will broadcast from 2:00pm ET until 4:30pm ET.

From your home town, you will be able to:

·                    See interviews from representatives of the leading pharmaceutical companies specializing in PD drugs

·                    Hear updates from the National PD organizations

·                    Find answers to commonly asked questions from the PD communities top movement disorder specialists, neurologists and more

·                    Watch and hear from your friends and family and other familiar faces in the PD community

·                    Experience the entire program from the BandShell in Central Park

·                    Be a part of the Walk experience with interviews from the Walk route

So, if you cannot join us in NYC, you can still make a huge difference.  This is a day of community and education, as well as a day to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, and it can be done anywhere.  Help bring the entire Parkinson’s community together and join us to fight Parkinson’s disease.

I invite you to visit our website and register for the Walk

You can join a team, start a team or join as an individual participant

And you can still raise money

And you can do all this without traveling to New York.

Parkinson’s disease does not take a break, so while this is a tough year for so many people, I ask that you reach out to your family, friends and coworkers, let them know that every dollar counts.  Consider requesting only $15.00 in honor of our 15^th Walk.

Remember, 100% of all donations go directly to Parkinson’s research. 

For fundraising ideas, go to our website and check out our ‘One Step Closer’ guide.

Make plans now to spend the day raising money and awareness for Parkinson’s disease.  And please tell me about them so I can give you a ’shout out’ from Central Park! 

More information on the webcast and how to register will follow shortly!

All the Best,

Stacie Mishler

staciem@unitywalk.org

866-789-9255

Top 10 ways to meet and succeed your fundraising goal:

10. Have all donors check with their Human Resources department to see if they offer an Employee Matching Program.

9.     Reach out to schools, restaurants and local businesses that you support asking for their support.

8.     If you sell items on ebay, you can direct some of your sale to the Parkinson’s Unity Walk; make sure your donors know this as well.

7.     Share your story, make it personal.  Nothing makes a stronger case than a testimonial!  (send all stories to staciem@unitywalk.org).

6.     Post your Parkinson’s Unity Walk fundraiser on the website, just email staciem@unitywalk.org with the date and event information.

5.     Go to www.unitywalk.org and look for new and exciting fundraising ideas in our ‘One Step Closer’ guide (under ‘Fundraising Ideas’).

4.     Request more brochures and brochure holders.  Put them in local restaurants and businesses.

3.     Ask all donors to increase the amount of last year’s donation by $15 or 15% to help commemorate the 15^th Parkinson’s Unity Walk.

2.     Say thank you.  Follow up on donations received by phone, letter or email.  No matter how small the donation, do not let any donations go unnoticed.

1.     Forward this list to your family and friends that are working with us to find the cause and cure for Parkinson’s disease…

2 months, 29 days and 15 hours until the 15th Parkinson’s Unity Walk…but who’s counting!!
Everyone here in the Unity Walk office, and everyone we talk to, is counting down the days until we meet again in Central Park.
Each day, more and more people register, start teams and initiate great fundraising plans. If you haven’t yet, please go back to our home page and register for the Walk. It will give you the option to start a team, join a team or sign up as an individual participant. Whatever you choose, you will be a part of the largest grassroots fundraiser for Parkinson’s disease research, and part of an incredible community.
As we approach the 15th Walk, please do not forget the following:
* Check with your company, and remind your donors to check with their company, to see if an employee matching program is offered.
* Check our forum and blog often for great ideas and suggestions for Walk plans, fundraising ideas and many other topics!
* Be a part of our ‘Step it Up’ club by increasing your donation by $15 or increasing your team goal by 15%, to commemorate our 15th Walk.
*Help spread awareness by joining our cause on facebook and myspace and recruiting your friends.
* Continue to spread awareness by requesting brochures and distributing them among family, friends, local businesses and restaurants. Just send me an email with your name, address and how many brochures you would like.

And as always, please contact me with any ideas, questions or concerns!

All the Best,
Stacie