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THE
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CONVERGED CITIZEN GALLERY
NEWS
VOLUME X ISSUE 2
WWW.THEMEDIAPLEX.COM
OCTOBER 2, 2014
Windsorites walk for ALS Taylor Busch CP Editor
Nearly 500 residents took part in Sunday’s ALS walk along the Ganatchio Trail in Windsor. ALS – three letters that change people’s lives forever. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a rapidly progressive, neuromuscular disease that attacks every part of the body except the mind. According to ALS Canada, every day nearly 3,000 Canadians are treated for it and 0.1 per cent die. Unlike cancer or other neurodegenerative disorders, ALS has no known cure and many treatments to slow its progression fail.
Until recently, many Canadians only heard about the disease when someone close to them was diagnosed with it or died from it and awareness was very limited. Then, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral. Pete Frates, a former college baseball player living with the disease, is credited for being the first person to tie ALS to the challenge. After Frates nominated his friends to take the challenge for him or make a donation towards ALS research, awareness about the disease began to skyrocket. Suddenly, Americans and
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Photo By Taylor Busch Bill Maden, who is currently living with ALS in Windsor, was escorted down the Ganatchio Trail by friends and family during the 10th annual ALS walk Sept. 14,
Community runs with troops at annual event Dan Gray Managing Editor The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment held their fourth annual Trot with the Troops event at the Major FA Tilston Armoury and Police Training Centre in Windsor. Members of the community were given the opportunity to raise money and run with soldiers during their annual battle fitness test Sept. 22. The battle fitness test requires the soldiers to complete an approximately 13 kilometre run with 60 pounds in two hours and 20 minutes. The course for nonsoldiers varied from five to 10 kilometres for adults and 1 km for children. During the run, runners travelled past the Vietnam Memorial, Crimean War cannon and down to the Sandwich Street World War 1 memorial.
The fundraiser was organized by the regiment’s Delta Company, according to their operational commander Cy McGrath. McGrath said some of the money raised has found its way to the Military Family Resource Centre in the past. Through education, support and positive action, the MFRC works to enrich the lives of families and members of the Canadian Armed Forces according to their website. This year, 100 per cent of the funds raised have been earmarked for the regiment. “All the money goes to the military, it goes back to the EnK (Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment ) it’s administered through the Essex and Kent Scottish Association,” said McGrath. “It is used for whatever is needed at the time, so we identify a need and it is earmarked for that need.”
“The Association is established to foster, maintain and promote the tradition and well-being of the regiment” said the webpage associated with the organization. The site also notes the association strives to promote community knowledge of the regiment and other services within the regimental family. Jeff Gravel is a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces. He is an active runner and member of the local veteran’s community. He finished first in the men’s 5 km run. “It is important to me to support the troops when they complete activities like this,” said Gravel. The event had many corporate sponsors. The sponsors and volunteers provided food, water, bouncy castles and even a relic cannon to start the race. After the race the com-
Photo By Dan Gray Major Mark Douglas stands near the finish line after completing his annual battle fitness test. His unit, the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment participated in the fourth annual Trot with the Troops on Sept. 22 in Windsor. munity was welcomed inside the armouries to have a meetand-greet with members of the regiment, as well as look at the archives and enjoy some music. The event is expected to
run again next year. If anyone is interested in running in or helping with the event or joining Delta Company they can get more information on their website, www.deltacoy.com .