Joni and Friends holds event at Chuckchansi Stadium

About one hundred and twenty members of the community, including several campus students gathered together at the Chuckchansi Stadium to raise money and awareness for the event Walk ‘n’ Role to aid disabled ministries, Aug. 31.

The event was completely free and participants had the option to be a walker or to volunteer at the various game booths present. All people at the event walked, ran or rolled (in a wheelchair) as a group two miles around the stadium in an effort to support the disabled community and their families.

Campus students were encouraged to volunteer for the event as either a walker or a volunteer when the Area Director of the international disability center, Laura McGrew, visited chapel, Aug. 22.

After the walk, children had the chance to win some prizes, playing fair-styled games. The prizes ranged from huge stuffed teddy bears to pencils and stickers. Participants of the Walk ‘n’ Roll also had the opportunity to enter a raffle to win a shiny, new bicycle.

Besides this Girl Scouts handed out a box of cookies to each person present. The inflatable Grizzlies slide was also available for the enjoyment of all children participants. All profits made at the Walk-n-Roll went to the Joni and Friends Foundation.

Junior Madison Sieb participated in the Walk ‘n’ Roll and says that the experience allowed her to see people and circumstances in a new way. She also says she is excited about helping out the people involved in the ministry.

“I went to the Walk ‘n’ Roll because I have helped out in other Joni and Friends events before,” Sieb said. “When I heard about this opportunity I was ecstatic to help out these people. My job today is to help people get down to the field and make sure they don’t step on the grass. I?m very excited about this and hope to see a lot of people I saw during spring break at Wonder Valley. Joni and Friends is an amazing thing to help out with; it really is an eye opening experience.”
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After all the walking and games were finished participants were given a free hot dog lunch complete with water, a fruit cup and chips. The Grizzlies Mascot, Parker made an appearance and greeted the participants warmly. Finally everyone stood in front of the stadium and took a group picture.

Program Manager of the Joni and Friends organization Liz Stoeckel says that although the turn out was not as large as she first hoped, but the event fulfilled its purpose. She says that the Walk ‘n’ Roll will give publicity to disabled ministries and open up new doors of opportunity.

“We actually only had two thirds of the people registered show up,” Stoeckel said. “Although it would have been awesome for all the people who signed up to come, I’m really excited for the people who did come. We are mostly just happy for the opportunity to raise awareness of the disabled community and Joni and Friends. The whole purpose of the Walk ‘n’ Roll is to bring all of our Joni and Friends family together and raise awareness plus a little bit of money.”

For more information on the Walk ‘n’ Roll and the Joni and Friends Foundation be sure to see The Fresno Bee article.

For more features, read the Sept. 5 article, Library receives much-needed remodel.

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