Run ANGELS ON THE

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In running circles the 5k race is oft regarded as the gateway distance for new runners. The relatively short length and less-expensive registration fees have attracted growing numbers of individuals who are seeking to be active without necessarily focusing on being competitive. In recent years companies and charities have realized the appeal of the 5k and have created additional incentives to attract participants by introducing themed runs such as obstacle course events, color and foam runs and even prizes for runners with the best costumes. In small towns and cities, the community spirit invoked by these events can be extremely uplifting; a phenomenon witnessed locally every year at Fargo’s GoFar run in May - which was even recently named by Runner’s World magazine as one of the top ten small-town races nationwide.

This increased interest has also bolstered fundraising efforts and awareness of many local charities, including the newly founded Red River Valley chapter of Ainsley’s Angels in Moorhead. As part of the nationwide Ainsley’s Angels of America, this local chapter was started this past May by Moorhead resident (and Angels’ ambassador) Christine Hamre. As a mother of four, Christine was drawn to Ainsley’s Angels due to her passion for running as well as her seven-year-old daughter Sam’s love for being active and being outside. Though Sam herself is unable to run due to being born with two brain malformations as well as a diagnosis of Autism, Ainsley’s Angels, with their mission of “ensuring everyone can experience endurance events” has provided her and Christine a platform in which to complete races together and to “participate as active members in the local community.”

As a charity which seeks to “build awareness about America’s special needs community through inclusion in all aspects of life,” Ainsley’s Angels encourages runners to sign up as Angels and “lend their legs to help Angel Riders experience the joys of running/racing.” This charity provides adaptive racing chairs for the riders, who are individuals with mobility issues and who “without the assistance of others could not experience the joys of racing.” For many of them, Ainsley’s Runner Angels have provided the first opportunity to “Roll With the Wind” and to experience the joy and sense of accomplishment in crossing a finish line. Through the use of specially designed racing chairs (dubbed chariots), runners are able to push riders with relative ease, seamlessly merging endurance and inclusion.

Ainsley’s Angels have also given an opportunity for individuals to donate and participate in fundraising events, whether as runners, riders or as volunteers (known as Guardian Angels). One such guardian angel, former Fargo resident Joel Johnson, has memorialized his sister Lynnda by having her name embroidered on two running strollers that he donated. Girls on the Run has also adopted the Minnesota chapter of Ainsley’s Angels as their community service project for 2015 and RDO has generously volunteered to fundraise through a bake sale in October.

It has been two years since Christine came to rely on running to maintain both her physical and emotional health: “I figured I had to be in shape (and live forever) so I would always be around to take care of Sam.” Reflecting on her journey in coming to terms with Sam’s medical conditions, Christine discusses how a change in focus was pivotal. “When Sam’s diagnosis became apparent there were a lot of adjustments but I wanted to also make a lot of positives out of it.” When the opportunity presented itself to create a local chapter of Ainsley’s Angels “it just felt perfect,” stated Christine. “Though Sam is non-verbal, I can tell that she really gets a lot out of running with me and when people see us in action they really like it.”

With a goal of continued growth and increased awareness about the local special needs community, Christine and Ainsley’s Angels in Minnesota hope to eventually purchase a trailer for moving the chairs to race locations and also to increase their current number of racing chairs from five to between 15-20, in order to be “able to provide room for everybody that has a disability to be able to participate if desired.”

For information on becoming an Ainsley’s Angel, donating, participating or to volunteer at upcoming events, please visit www.AinsleysAngels.org or www.facebook.com/AAinMinnesota.

Ignite. Inspire. Volunteer.

the annual Walk MS: Sanford Health Walk was held September 26, 2015 in North Fargo. The participants started at Team Village in Oak Grove Park at 10 a.m. The walk is one of several events coordinated by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which represents more than 17,000 people with MS.

“Walks have been held all over the nation for more than twenty years,” said Laurie Kuehl, community engagement manager for North Dakota. “The very first MS Society walk was in Minneapolis in 1988. Our goals are to raise money for research, to educate the public about the disease and to bring awareness about MS and the people it affects.”

Sarah Devries walked with the Fargo Eide Bailey team, the EB Trekkers. It has been eight years since her diagnosis. She and so many others talked of the medical advancements that have been made in the last few years, especially the new disease modifying therapies that are a direct result of the MS Society-funded research.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society funds more MS research than any other organization in the world and has paved the way for MS treatments, none of which existed twenty years ago.

The optimism about the new breakthroughs in disease modifying therapies was a theme echoed over and over again by the participants of the walk. Their sense of purpose and determination to create positive change for everyone affected by MS was obvious.

The Society’s annual “On the Move” Little Black Dress Luncheon will be held March 4, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo. [AWM]

For more information contact: MSsociety.org | laurie.kuehl@nmss.org