Another Successful and Inspiring MS Walk! Thank You!

Yesterday, Walkers from the communities of Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay, Kingston – Napanee, Brockville and Belleville made every step matter, fundraising an amazing $256,000 – driving the current total for all 2011 MS Walks to over $5.2 million!!!

We hope that you had an excellent MS Walk and that you feel proud of the tangible difference you have made in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis!

Keep in mind that you also have another few weeks to continue to fundraise and collect money before the pledge submission deadline on June 27, 2011.

We also invite you to share your favorite MS Walks photos, stories and videos on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to see them!

Keep up the great work fundraising and thanks again for playing a pivotal role in the movement to end MS. We look forward to seeing you again at the 2012 MS Walk!

Let's Walk!

This Sunday, May 29^th, the final MS Walks of 2011 in Ontario will be taking place in Thunder Bay, North Bay, Sudbury, Kingston-Napanee, Brockville and Belleville. We would like to thank you for all of your incredible support and for your dedication to ending MS!

With every step you take this Sunday, know and take pride in the fact that you’re making a difference. Your walk will make a meaningful impact in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with MS.

To date, the 2011 MS Walks have already raised more than $5.2 million!

We wish you a fantastic MS Walk day and the best of luck in bringing in those final pledges!

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Is your community holding its MS Walk this weekend and you still haven’t registered? It’s not too late – Click here to register for your local MS Walk.

Need some last minute fundraising tips? Click here; http://bit.ly/f0uWBK

Today Is World MS Day!

Here in Canada, we have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. Approximately 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians are currently living with MS, with 1-3 new cases diagnosed every day. Worldwide, over 2,000,000 people in the world have MS. The aims of world MS day are to raise awareness and mobilize a global movement!

World MS Day was launched on May 27, 2009 with over 200 events in 67 countries. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about MS and to strengthen the network of people living with MS across the world.

The theme this year is “Work and MS” with a focus on the role that employers can play in enabling people with MS to stay working.

You can learn more about World MS Day at the MS Society of Canada’s website: endMS.com and http://www.worldmsday.org

To show your support of World MS Day go to our ‘Spread the Word’  site to change your Facebook status and picture to a MS Badge or Logo, or Tweet that you are ‘celebrating MS Awareness Month, recognizing MS Awareness Month, promoting MS Awareness Month, or is participating in MS Awareness Month.’  Or, think of your own Tweet to help promote World MS Day!    

Happy Victoria Day Long Weekend!

The MS Society would like to wish you a safe and happy Victoria Day Long Weekend!  Victoria Day holiday is celebrated on the last Monday on or before May 24, in honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday.  It also unofficially marks the beginning of the Canadian summer!

Here is a list of fundraising activities for the Victoria Day Long Weekend

·         Open the cottage, or go to your friends cottage and watch them open it.  Instead of throwing out unwanted possessions, put on a garage sale to raise funds for the MS Society, one person’s garbage is another person’s treasure!

·         Go on a fishing trip, or let your spouse go and enjoy the peace and quiet at home.  Challenge friends to a fishing derby and ask friends or family to sponsor your efforts in seeing who can reel in the biggest catch!

·         Stay at home, dust off the gardening gloves and offer your neighbours yard work for a donation to your fundraising cause.   

·         Put on a BBQ for your family and friends.  Instead of asking them to contribute food and 

      drink,   ask for a donation to your MS fundraising efforts.

·         Put on a fireworks show for your street on Victoria Day.  Ask for donations instead of contributions.  Remember to stay safe!

·         Or just take the extra day off to relax and enjoy your free time, long weekends don’t come around that often.

                                                        Photo by: Evans Photography 

The MS Society would like to thank you for your continued support and are excited to enjoy a very warm and sunny summer with you!

Everybody loves Summer Camp!

It’s the defining growing up experience when kids can be themselves, make friends, have fun, and where so much is learned!      

This summer the MS Society of Canada is proud to offer two unique and exciting camp programs for youth and teens affected by multiple sclerosis.

Activities for the MS Summer Camp for children and youth age 8-15 will include:

• Sports
• Nature studies
•  Performing arts
• Canoeing
• Swimming
• Overnight canoe trips to near-by Provincial Park on the Big Rideau Lake
• And much more!

 Activities for the MS Leadership Camp for campers aged 16-21 will include:

• Leadership development
• Learning self-sufficiency and self-confidence
• Traditional camp activities (swimming, canoeing, etc…)
• Two-day overnight canoe trip where they will develop skills in leading a group, grow in character and learn much more about the value in community and helping others
• And much more!

The camp is FREE to attend.  All costs associated with the camp (including travel) are covered thanks to a fifth year of generous funding from the RBC Foundation and Fondation Bergeron-Jetté.

For more information and a camp application please visit: mssociety.ca/camp

OR

Contact the Camp Coordinator at kidsandtenscamp@mssociety.ca.

Help your car, help end MS

Spring has arrived and it's the perfect time to perform some well-needed vehicle maintenance. 

Visit your local participating Mr. Lube location on Saturday, May 14 and $5 from every oil change will be donated to the MS Society of Canada as part of their Founder’s Day Campaign.

Click here to find a Mr. Lube location near you

“We are pleased to be partnering with the MS Society of Canada for the third year through our annual Founder’s Day Campaign as we recognize the founder of Mr. Lube Canada, Mr. Cliff Giese and his commitment to this important charity,” says Paul Healey, president and CEO of Mr. Lube Canada. “Since 2007, we have raised over $55,000 to support finding a cure for MS".

About Mr. Lube Canada

Mr. Lube Canada is Canada’s leading quick lube provider in the automotive routine maintenance category with 99 locations across Canada.  Founded in 1976, Mr. Lube Canada has served over 33 million customers in its 33 year history. Headquartered in Delta, BC, the company also has a regional office in Mississauga, Ontario to support its national franchise network. Since 2002, Mr. Lube Canada and the Mr. Lube Foundation have donated over $3 million dollars to national and local charities across the country.

You can still walk to end MS!

Now that the weather is getting warmer, it’s a wonderful time to get out there and walk to support MS, so bring your family and friends, and get some exercise and fresh air while you walk for this great cause!  Lucky for you there are still a handful of MS Walks in which you can participate in Ontario in May.  For event details, follow this link: http://bit.ly/iE6iQB

The total amount raised so far for 2011 is over $4.8 million!  The funds contribute to MS research and improving the quality of life of those living with the disease.  There is also plenty of time to meet your fundraising goals, click on the link for some tips http://bit.ly/9bESez.

Communities preparing to do their part for MS and walk:

 

Ottawa - Sunday, May 15

Belleville - Sunday, May 29

Brockville - Sunday, May 29

Kingston/Napanee - Sunday, May 29

North Bay - Sunday, May 29

Sudbury - Sunday, May 29

Thunder Bay - Sunday, May 29

Can’t wait to see you there!

May is MS Awareness Month

May has been MS Awareness month in Canada since 1975!  Over the past 36 years, thousands have helped raise awareness as well as financial support for MS research and services, and this year will be no different.  You can continue to show your support by participating in the events that the MS Society has planned for the month of May.  On May 5 to 7, don’t forget to buy your mother or loved one a carnation from one of our volunteers!  Also help raise awareness this month by spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter.  Together we will end MS.

This month, do your part to raise the profile of those touched by MS by doing any of the following activities:

• From May 5 to 7 make sure to participate in the MS Carnation Campaign! Volunteers will be selling carnations across Canada just in time for Mother’s Day.

• Donate your Facebook status to promote MS Awareness Month.
• Participate in World MS Day’s global petition on employment and MS.
• Print and post this year’s MS awareness posters.
• Read and repost important May Awareness Month press releases from the MS Society of Canada.
• Launch a “Dress for MS Day” in your office by wearing “MS” red and making a donation to the MS Society of Canada.  
• Join the MS research teleconference taking place May 11 at 6:30PM ET.
• Get an oil change at Mr. Lube on May 14. For every oil change done that day, $5 will be donated the MS Society of Canada.
• On May 25, acknowledge World MS Day by hosting a Global Dinner Party.

Make sure to get involved! Visit mssociety.ca for more details on what’s happening in your area and how to help out!

Thanks to the Walkers in Sault Ste. Marie & Timmins!

Yesterday, the communities of Timmins and Sault St. Marie walked to end MS, fundraising over $30,000, driving the current total for the 2011 MS Walk to over $4.8 million!

All Walkers should feel proud of the tangible differences they are creating in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis.
Keep in mind that there are another few weeks to continue to fundraise and collect money to put towards your goal.


Everyone is encouraged to share their favorite MS Walks photos, stories and videos on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to see them!

We look forward to seeing you again at the 2012 MS Walk!