Sandpoint Article
LOCAL DOLLARS ASSISTING LOCAL PATIENTS
Celebrate Life holds 14th Annual Fun Run/Walk.
By Patty Hutchens
Article Added: 07/05/2017
IT WAS 14 YEARS AGO when Jenny Meyer’s vision came to fruition. Even after being diagnosed with cancer, the young mother continued to live out the end of her life as she always had—with a passion to make a difference in the lives of those in her community.
Celebrate Life Fun Run/Walk held its inaugural event in August 2004, and Jenny was able to see her vision for helping others play out for four years before passing away.
“I’m so grateful she was there to see her vision come to life,” said her sister, Julie Walkington, who continues to carry on her sister’s mission. “If only she could see it now. She has helped so many.”
To date, more than $250,000 has been raised. Through their annual fun run/walk across the Long Bridge, Celebrate Life raises funds to help those diagnosed with cancer in unique ways.
From sending flowers to the spouse of a client who was no longer alive to celebrate an anniversary, to purchasing a video camera for a family to capture every memory of their loved one, the nonprofit has done much to enhance the lives of cancer patients and their families.
“We help to arrange specific requests, such as delivery of firewood, house cleaning, in-home massages and birthday celebrations,” said Walkington, who adds that they also provide vouchers to their clients for things such as fuel, groceries, medicine, medical equipment and restaurant vouchers. “The list goes on.”
Celebrate Life does its best to purchase all their vouchers locally as well.
“I feel like we are giving back to our sponsors, so it really goes full circle,” said Walkington, who credits Bonner General Health with much of the success of Celebrate Life. “They have been with us from the beginning, and we couldn’t do it without them.”
As Walkington moves forward with the mission her sister began, she does sowith passion and gratitude.
“We are so fortunate to be so embraced by this community, as it is so generous,”she said. “We are so grateful for all our sponsors, participants and volunteers.”
Register at CelebrateLifeFunRunWalk.org or the day of the event beginning at 8am. The fun run/walk begins at 9am on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at Dog Beach.
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