White Rock’s first Parkinson Superwalk drew 250 people to local streets and raised $27,000 in support of Parkinson Society of British Columbia.
“It was just so incredibly heartwarming to see everybody come out and support this walk, particularly because there are so many causes out there,” said Liz Campbell-Holroyd, a lead organizer of the Sept. 11 event.
Participants gathered in the parking lot of Kintec and completed either a 2.5-km or five-km route. The event included speeches, music, a warm-up, food and door prizes.
“I could not believe how many people showed up,” she said. “I didn’t expect that for the first year.”
The cause is close to Campbell-Holroyd’s heart. She was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative brain disorder in 2010 at age 52.
Seeing the diversity in the crowd – and families participating in support of a family member with Parkinson’s – was great to see, said Campbell-Holroyd. Also inspiring were the numerous participants who pledged to support the event again next year, she added.
Campbell-Holroyd said the fundraiser was made possible by dedicated volunteers and local businesses that sponsored the event, including Buy Low Foods, Kintec, White Rock Beach Beer Company, The Wooden Spoon Co., Seaside Supermarket and Semiahmoo Athletic Club.
“The community of White Rock and South Surrey is definitely incredibly supportive,” she said.
Parkinson Society British Columbia, which says 13,300 British Columbians live with the disease, aims to find a cure through advocacy, education, research and support services. The SuperWalk is the society’s largest fundraising event of the year.