| Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area Friedreich's Ataxia Walk |
| Links to more info on FA... |
| Brianne, Trent, and Brianne's faithful service dog, Jasyn |
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| We will be accepting sponsor forms and last minute registrations from 9-10 am. Then we walk 5K, about three miles. Walkers are needed! Entry fee is $50, and you will be asked to try to raise at least $1000, preferably more. Do something healthy, fun and meaningful. Join us to help find a cure! There will be prizes for the top three pledge-raisers, with the grand prize being a framed signed print by Trent Gaylord, value, $295! So join us, find a lot of sponsors, and collect a lot of money!!! |
| In the upper left picture is Brianne Konanz, the primary inspiration for this event. She was diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia at about age 10. In those first 10 years she went from a normal active toddler to a child having great difficulty simply walking. Since then she has been diligently working to fit a lifetime of activity and adventure into only a few years. She has the drive of someone who's time is limited, who's nervous system is slowly dying, progressively taking away all sensory and motor skills. In addition to Brianne, I was also inspired to create this event by an incredible young man named Kyle Bryant (more recently diagnosed with FA), who started the fundraiser, "Ride Ataxia." Earlier this year, he and his fellow riders rode from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA raising over $200,000 for FARA. Finally, there are the inspiring thousands of mostly young people fighting this condition. Join us to help, so we can end this disease for good! |
| All money raised goes to |
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| You can donate easily, any time of day or year! Simply click the picture above! |
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| For online donations, please be sure to note that you are supporting the SFBA FA walk! You can also make checks payable to FARA and send them to... Trent Gaylord, 4275 Knoll Ave, Oakland, CA 94619 |
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| First, a huge thanks to the inspiration for the whole event, Brianne Konanz, the love of my life, and my personal inspiration as well! Next, I need to thank my mother and sister, Carlyn and Elise Gaylord for help at every step of the way. Next I need to acknowledge a special friend of mine, Noemi Pegueros, who I met at Weight Watchers a couple years ago, and who has been training with me for six months, riding me hard the whole time! Next, there is the winner of my prize, a wonderful friend from the International Volleyball Club of San Francisco, Amy Welch. She single handedly raised over $500!!! I presented her with a signed original print of an inspirational sunset image, photographed by me, from Cesar Chavez park, where we walked on August 2nd! Last, but in no way least, the rest of the walkers; there were three people from Brianne's circle, her stepmother Susan Konanz, Susan's father Joe Turner, and Brianne's very generous attendant Seirra, then two more of my old volleyball friends, Lynda Deschambault, current Mayor of Moraga, and Laura McDevitt, my old walking buddy, two more recent very good friends, Aaron and Noel Gray, and the two most recent friends whom I met at Weight Watchers San Leandro, Jennifer Levy and Nayeli Cerpas, who both signed on as soon as I made the announcement. |
| I want to publicly acknowledge, here, last year's wonderful volunteers and walkers. |
| The first annual SFBA FA Walk was a great time for all. Check out the pictures below. |
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| Thanks again to everyone for their generous support |
