麻豆传媒AV

ELBOW - It seemed like as if the entire village of Elbow and then some had turned out to walk for a great cause.

On Sunday afternoon, June 8, the third annual Line 19 Move To Cure ALS Walk was held in the community, with over 300 registered participants doing their part in supporting the initiative and many more volunteers ensuring that everything ran smoothly.

Taking place from the starting point of the Harbor Golf Community Center, walkers were off starting at noon, heading down a grid road by the Elbow grain elevator before making a turn and venturing down some noticeably summerlike environments before eventually returning to the Center.

The 5 km walk was in support of the ALS Society of Saskatchewan, which recognizes June as ALS Awareness Month.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as motor neuron disease and has also been referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. The condition is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons that normally control voluntary muscle contraction.

The ALS Society of Saskatchewan's social media page sent out a message after the event, thanking the hundreds of people who came out to make it such a success.

"We are so proud of our ALS family and Elbow community. Every step we take is filled with love, strength, and support. Thank you to everyone who showed up, cheered on, and walked beside us."

And success was the key word in this case, as this year's Move to Cure ALS Walk has raised over $45,000 so far, with more donations set to come in during this coming week.

Organizer June Evans was ecstatic with how Sunday's event came off, which included fan favorite icon Gainer the Gopher of the Saskatchewan Roughriders tagging along for the fundraising walk.

"By the end of the afternoon, we’d raised over $45,000 but we know that number will continue to grow as there are still donations coming in," said June. "Our goal was $40,000.00, so I guess we exceeded that!"

With over 300 walkers and nearly 60 raffle items up for grabs donated from local businesses and individuals, the 2025 edition of the event was a big hit. Evans says there are already some exciting plans in the works for next year's Walk and thanked everyone who helped make this year's event such a success.

"This was Line 19’s 3rd annual Walk for ALS & there are already exciting plans for next year!" she said. "As with any event, it’s the involvement and participation of volunteers that make it a success. Loreburn and Elbow’s firefighters kept the roads & intersections clear for the walkers, two First Responders were ready for any emergency, and thankfully there were none, golf cart and Gator drivers handed out water along the 5 km walk as well as providing rides for anyone who needed one. The Archibald family cooked and served over 400 burgers! All the burgers and drinks were donated. Supporters showed up in costumes and team colours and every registered walker received an ALS t-shirt. And our Constable led the Walk at the beginning."

The two previous ALS Walks held in 2023 and 2024 raised a combined total of just over $75,000, with each year shattering the intended fundraising goal. With this year's $45,000 and counting, this makes for over $120,000 raised in Elbow and area benefitting efforts to combat ALS.