For Kelly Bosak and the “Burenheide Gang,” walking in Saturday morning’s Walk to D’Feet ALS in Jones Park was about walking to honor two aunts who died from ALS.
Bosak, who is from Shawnee, turned out to the ALS walk along with her 17 other team members to raise money for the Keith Worthington Chapter of the ALS Association. Bosak’s family also hand-made a quilt that was raffled off after Saturday’s walk.
About 150 people participated and an estimated $12,000 was raised during the walk.
ALS is a neuromuscular disease that is 100 percent fatal. There is no known cure for ALS and it can strike anyone — young or old. The nerves of a person with ALS die. Then the muscles attached to the nerves die, which causes paralysis. The disease only affects voluntary muscles — muscles that a person chooses to use.
Bosak said the walk is very important for her.
“It’s very near and dear to my heart,” she said. “It’s the least I can do to help others with the disease.”
With temperatures around 69 degrees, another team was busy collecting teammates’ money for the walk. Jessica Griffin of Emporia and her team walked in honor of Tim Griffin, her father-in-law, who lived and coached in Cottonwood Falls. Tim Griffin died from ALS about 15 years ago.
“It’s just a good time to give back and honor people who had ALS,” Griffin said of the walk. “It is a very crippling disease.”
Dr. Gary Ace, who promotes the ALS walk in Emporia, spoke before the walk started. Saturday’s walk was the sixth walk held in Emporia.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been six years, but it has,” he said. “Time flies.”
Ace said the walk wasn’t just about raising money, but was about honoring those lost to ALS.
“We are all here today to celebrate and remember people who are dear to us,” Ace said. “It’s (ALS) is such a cruel disease. We all know that.”
Ace said right now in the local area, no one is diagnosed with ALS.
“But that could change,” he said. “They said every 90 minutes somebody is diagnosed with ALS,” he said. “And every 90 minutes we lose somebody.”