LIHU‘E — All of the three young people afflicted by neuromuscular diseases on Kaua‘i came out to participate Saturday. Scotty Iida rode his wheelchair, Brittney Carter walked and Jordyn Valdez was pushed as the clients of the Muscular Dystrophy Association
LIHU‘E — All of the three young people afflicted by neuromuscular diseases on Kaua‘i came out to participate Saturday.
Scotty Iida rode his wheelchair, Brittney Carter walked and Jordyn Valdez was pushed as the clients of the Muscular Dystrophy Association joined other walkers who turned out for the second MDA Ride and Stride event.
“We’re on time,” said Leona Workman, one of four ladies in the Dollar-Thrifty (rent-a-car) group. “We want to get started already since Laurie (Pimental) has a 9 o’ clock appointment.”
Similarly, the volunteers from the RSVP program who normally turn out to help register and process paperwork were instead shifted to the four-lap course around the mall.
The goal was to get the best poker hand, each walker starting out with a card and collecting another following the completion of one lap. The idea was inspired by Vacations Hawai‘i, one of the event sponsors.
“We went around once and when everyone shows up we’re going to do it again,” said Jimmy Oyadomori, one of the RSVP volunteers. “The best I could come up with was a pair of 8s, so I guess I’ll do it, again.”
Allicyn Hayes, the MDA Association coordinator for Kaua‘i, said the event was just the second time being featured on the island and is just one of several events culminating with the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
“Kaua‘i has been very generous in helping the families with MDA,” Hayes said. “During the annual MDA Lock Up, Kaua‘i raised more money than the other islands.”
This year’s MDA Lock Up is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 9, at Duke’s restaurant at Kalapaki Beach and Hayes said people wanting to be a part of the fun can call her to register.
Currently, there are about 500 families in the state that are beneficiaries of MDA, Hayes said. Monies raised from events such as the Ride and Stride help send MDA clients to summer camp, help with equipment purchases and goes to research on neuromuscular diseases.
Since its founding in 1950, the MDA has become one of the nation’s largest and best-known voluntary health agencies, states the MDA Web site. The agency provides comprehensive medical services to tens of thousands of people with neuromuscular diseases at 215 hospital-affiliated clinics across the country.
MDA’s programs are funded almost entirely by the voluntary contributions of concerned individuals and cooperating organizations.
For Workman and Pimental, the pair were part of a group known as the “L” ladies because their first names all start with the letter “L” — Leona, Laurie and Lynne Peleholanai and Larlene Navor.
That group had the distinction of raising the largest number of funds for this event.
“We’re not on Hawaiian time,” Workman said. “We’re the on-time Hawaiians.”
Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
