ST. PAUL - A long-standing annual event that draws people together from across the Lakeland is set to take place on Sunday.
The 2023 St. Paul Jayman BUILT MS Walk has already raised over $60,000 and is within reach of its $65,000 goal for 2023, as of Wednesday.
This year, the 5 km MS Walk will be holding its opening ceremonies and other festivities at Lagasse Park, due to the St. Paul Rec Centre being occupied for the upcoming provincial election, according to Brenda Rosychuk, who is one of the walk's long-time organizers and is now the Western Canada lead, Community Fundraising, with the MS Society of Canada.
Organizers are taking advantage of the change of location to create a festival feel around Sunday's walk. Check-in for participants will begin at 9 a.m., on the west end of Lagasse Park, and the opening ceremonies are set for 10 a.m.
Once everyone completes the route, which is also being revamped this year, they will be greeted back at the park with lunch and live music.
Rosychuk believes the experience of taking part in the walk will be heightened with the changes. She is also excited for this year's walk since it is the first time since the pandemic that the walk can go ahead without any restrictions in place.
This year's MS Walk is focused on "celebrating the power of community."
While the walk may take place in St. Paul, and the community of St. Paul is certainly "strongly connected to the cause," support for the cause reaches beyond. The MS Walk includes several supporters and fundraisers from Bonnyville, Cold Lake, and other areas of the Lakeland. The entire region comes together to support the cause, with funds coming from many different places, says Rosychuk.
And while the walk is just a few days away, it is not too late to get involved. People can still jump in and help raise funds for the fight against MS.
"The money you raise... funds groundbreaking research like developing new disease-modifying therapies to stop disease progression. Your fundraising also supports National Multiple Sclerosis Society resources, programs and services that give people affected by MS what they need to live their best lives," according to information from the MS Society.
To get involved, people can visit the MS Walk website or contact Mackenzie Bruynson at [email protected] or by phone 587-772-3938.
Rosychuk says organizers are always happy to welcome more supporters to the cause, as they work toward a world without Multiple Sclerosis.
Speaking with Lakeland Today on Wednesday morning, Rosychuk also noted that organizers could still use a few more volunteers on Sunday to help with clean-up once the event wraps up, so if any community groups or individuals are interested in lending a hand, they can also contact Bruynson.
