“Amazed” was the word Gail Anderson-Macadam used to describe how she and her family felt at the end of Aldor Acres’ very first Parkinson’s SuperWalk on Saturday, Sept. 7.
More than 130 walkers took part in the inaugural event, plus 40 volunteers and a steady stream of donations, given by people hoping to find a cure for the disease. Anderson-Macadam said they have raised $15,000 so far, with money still trickling in.
“We had four township councillors come out through the course of the day…the weather was perfect…and there was a great barbecue lunch and music by Alyssa Nielson. Overall, we just seemed to have our ducks lined up in a row,” Anderson-Macadam explained.
“The biggest surprise was that we had at least 15 walkers who had been affected or were fighting Parkinson’s, so they either walked or rolled the path, many coming with a support network of 10 or 15 family members.”
Dorothy Anderson, owner and operator of Aldor Acres, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s three years ago. Since then, her family has looked for different ways to raise awareness in the community and lend their support to other’s struggling with the disease.
The Anderson’s found their chance when the Parkinson’s SuperWalk looked as though it would happen after it’s regular location became unavailable.
Several different routes around Aldor Acres gave participants a choice while the location provided guests with the chance to meet some furry farm animals after the countryside walk; 25 different SuperWalk’s happened on the same day all across B.C.
“Absolutely this walk will continue,” Anderson-Macadam said. “This was the first annual.”
The Langley/Surrey Parkinson’s Society of B.C. will put the funds towards research, physio and speech therapy, and exercise seminars.
Dorothy and husband Albert simultaneously celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on the Saturday, fittingly doing what they have done together for the past 30 years – welcome tourists and friends onto their farm.
The regular Aldor Acres fall season officially starts on Sept. 21.
Read More: A SuperWalk in the Countryside
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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