Fundraiser to ease effects of debilitating disease to occur on April 7.
By BOB HERPEN
The Sun
On Sunday, April 7, the Katz JCC will hold its second annual one-mile Parkinson’s Connection Awareness Walk. Because many in South Jersey are living with Parkinson’s disease, the event attempts to raise awareness and support Parkinson’s programming offered by the JCC’s wellness center.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand, and progressively become more pronounced. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness in joints and limbs, speech impairments, imbalance of posture and slowing of movement.
“Our Rock Steady Boxing class, for those with Parkinson’s, inspired the start of this event in 2018. Participants said they loved what we offer so much, they wanted to pay it forward to expand our Parkinson’s programming,” said Jayne Miller-Morgan, director of the Katz JCC wellness program.
“Our goal is and always has been to provide a place for individuals at all stages of Parkinson’s disease to feel energized and involved, and most of all part of the community, and we are excited for this year’s momentous walk.”
As Miller-Morgan related, the Parkinson’s Rock Steady Boxing program started with a grant from the Kevin Murray Foundation. Murray, who has Parkinson’s and was taking RSB classes at the University of Pennsylvania, wanted programing to be offered closer to home, and saw there were no sites for this program in the area. The JCC started the program with just two classes and the participants saw the need for the Parkinson’s programs to grow. To hold more classes, equipment and instructors, they needed funding. So the suggestion arose through Katz Parkinson’s coordinator Stacey Macaluso and with the participants themselves.
They held the first Parkinson’s one-mile walk last April, and with the proceeds, were able to fund nine Rock Steady Boxing classes with seven certified instructors. In addition, the JCC offers the national program Pedaling for Parkinson’s, Movement & Motivation, Tai Chi for Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s Plate all under its Parkinson’s Connection umbrella.
More than 150 people attended last year’s walk, and they are anticipating more than 200 will participate this year.
The event will start at the Katz JCC at 10 a.m. Walkers will follow a predetermined route that starts at the center island on the JCC’s main driveway, then head out and turn left onto Kresson Road. The route will continue to the Fox Hollow neighborhood, and turn left onto Cooper Run Drive. Then, after circling the island on Cooper Run, walkers head back onto Kresson and then toward the JCC. Walkers will finish in the drop-off area in front of the building. Food and refreshments will be served at the completion of the walk. The first 100 registrants will receive a commemorative T-shirt.
Macaluso stated there are more than 80 participants coming regularly to those programs, and come summer that number increases with local snowbirds who head north from their winter homes in Florida. With eight wellness programs specifically targeted toward those living with Parkinson’s, the Katz JCC has become one of the community leaders in supporting individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Registration fee for the event is $25 for Katz JCC members and $30 for the general public. All proceeds from the walk will benefit Katz JCC Parkinson’s programming and aid with scholarships for Parkinson’s classes.
To register, visit katzjcc.org/parkinsons or contact Miller-Morgan at jmorgan@jfedsnj.org or call (856) 424–4444 x1140. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Adler at badler@jfedsnj.org or call (856) 424–4444 x1283.
