KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR WALK MS ILLINOIS PARTICIPANTS
Walk MS 2012 is Sunday, May 6! Thank you for
Joining the Movement to End MS and walking with us on Sunday. This email
contains important information you should review prior to event day.
Please read it all the way through. If you have any questions, please email us at WalkMSillinois@nmss.org.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS: TIMES, DIRECTIONS & MAPS | PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST | WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARRIVE | THANK YOU, TEAMS! | SPONSORS | WHAT IS MS? | ABOUT THE GREATER ILLINOIS CHAPTER | CONTACT US
TIMES, DIRECTIONS & MAPS Your Walk MS event page will tell you the specific registration and kick-off times for your Walk event. You can also create personalized driving and (if available) transit directions from the Google link on your event page, as well as download useful event Site Maps and Route Maps.
All Walk MS event sites are 100% accessible. You can find accessible parking locations on your Site Map and handicap drop-off locations on your Route Map.
Your Site Map will also show you the locations of your Walk MS event's Writing Table and Registration and T-Shirt tents, the location of all vendors, and where portable restrooms are located.
To visit your Walk MS event page and find all of this information, just select your Walk MS event from the list below:
PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST
- Dress for the weather.
Walk MS takes place Sunday, May 6, rain or shine. Please check your local forecast at www.weather.com before leaving home and dress appropriately. If necessary,
bring sunscreen and a visor, or a rain poncho and extra pair of dry
socks.
- Bring a water bottle & snacks. Fruit and water
will be available at all Walk MS event sites. But just to be safe, you can
ensure staying happy and hydrated if you bring your own refillable water
bottle and small snacks.
- Print out directions to your Walk MS site. You
can use the Google link on every Walk MS event page to create
personalized driving and (if available) transit directions. Choose your
Walk MS event from the Details & Locations
page or from the list above. Then go there to create your personalized
directions, print them out, and bring them with you on event day. Your
Walk MS event page will also tell you when to arrive on site, and
include links to download important site and route maps in PDF format.
- Print out your t-shirt voucher (pictured.) T-shirt vouchers were emailed to participants who have already submitted $125 or greater in
confirmed donations on Wednesday, May 2. Please print out the voucher and bring
it with you on event day. If you lose the voucher, don't worry, we'll
have your name at the t-shirt tent. (Additional vouchers will be
available at the Registration Tent for anyone wishing to make an on-site
donation that brings their total to $125 or greater.) T-shirts are available while supplies last--but never fear! If we run out, fill out a T-Shirt Request form (available at the T-shirt tent) and we'll provide you with a T-shirt after Walk MS.
- If possible, submit all online pledges before May 6. Submitting your pledges online before the event will ensure we'll have the most up-to-date information on event day. If you cannot do so, online donations can still be submitted through September 30.
- Fill out and seal your cash donation envelope. For cash and check donations, seal them in your pledge envelope, fill out all information, and be sure to include only the total amount of funds in the envelope. Do not include your online donations in your total. Bring this envelope with you on event day. (Please note: Walk MS volunteers are not permitted to total or seal your envelope for you.)
- Bring your friends. If last-minute friends, family, or co-workers would like to
walk with you, they can register in person at the Registration area on event day.
- Don't stop fundraising. You have until September 30 to fundraise and qualify for Fundraising Clubs and Top Team status (see below.) However, prizes are based on monies submitted no later than June 30. Browse the Walk MS Prize Center>>
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARRIVE
- Look for friendly official Walk MS Greeters: they'll be carrying orange pom-poms and are there to help guide you through the on-site Registration process.
- If you need to finish filling in forms or to complete and seal your pledge envelope: Go to the Writing Table first (find its location on your event's Site Map.) The table will be amply equipped with pens and calculators. (Please note: Walk MS volunteers are not permitted to total or seal your envelope for you.)
- If you have cash pledges to turn in...
- Participants who pre-registered online: Submit your completed, sealed pledge envelope at the Registration Tent (find its location on your Site Map.) If you forgot your envelope, please go to the Writing Table and fill out a YELLOW envelope. Seal and total the envelope, then turn in the envelope at the Registration Tent. (Please note: Walk MS volunteers are not permitted to total or seal your envelope for you.)
- Participants registering in person: If you haven't already registered online, please go to the Writing Table and fill out a WHITE envelope. Sign the waiver on the envelope and if have donations to turn in, put them in the envelope and be sure to seal and total the envelope. Then turn in the envelope at the Registration Tent. (Please note: Walk MS volunteers are not permitted to total or seal your envelope for you.)
- If you're already registered and don't have cash pledges to turn in: Skip the Registration Tent!
If you only received online donations or submitted your cash donations
ahead of time, there's no need to wait in the Registration line.
- If you have a t-shirt voucher: Go to the T-Shirt
Tent (find its location on your Site Map) with your voucher. If you didn't remember to print out and bring your voucher, don't worry,
we'll have a list of all participants who have qualified for t-shirts at
the T-Shirt Tent. (Additional t-shirt vouchers will be available in
the Registration area for participants wishing to make an on-site
donation to acheive a fundraising total of $125 or more.)
- Special Rockford & Springfield note: Tables, Not Tents! If you're walking with us in Rockford or Springfield, your registration and teams area is entirely indoors. So please look for clearly marked tables for Registration, Teams, etc., not tents.
- After registration, the fun begins! When you're
done with any necessary registration activites, you can gather with your
friends or your team, participate in warm-up exercises, explore the
vendor booths, and meet your fellow walkers. In addition, every Walk MS site has a brief kick-off ceremony shortly before the event gets underway that you won't want to miss.
Plus, don't forget to meet and
congratulate the members of our Tremendous 200, Elite Feet, and Alumni fundraising clubs! Tremendous
200 walkers are our top-200 fundraisers from last year's Walk MS event.
They'll be wearing special orange t-shirts with a list of Tremendous 200
members on the back. Elite Feet walkers have raised $500 or more in
donations, and will be sporting special orange sunglasses. Find them
all and say hello!
THANK YOU, TEAMS! We'd like to extend a special Thank You to our Top Walk MS Teams. The Top Teams at each Walk MS event site will be recognized in the Team Village with a tent, table, or special award.
And congratulations to all of our teams! By mobilizing yourselves, you have moved others to help us reach our goal and achieve our vision of a world free of MS!
See you all on Sunday!
Thank you to our Walk MS 2012 Corporate Sponsors!
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What is MS? Every
hour someone in the United States is diagnosed with MS, an
unpredictable, often disabling autoimmune disease of the central nervous
system. The disease affects more than 20,000 people in Illinois,
400,000 throughout the United States and 2.5 million worldwide. MS
interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body, and
it can stop people from moving.
About the Greater Illinois Chapter The
National MS Society, Greater Illinois Chapter mobilizes people and
resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of
everyone affected by MS. We envision a world free of MS and move toward
that end by driving change through advocacy, facilitating education,
collaborating with others and by providing helpful programs and
services. Please visit MSIllinois.org to learn more.
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PAVE the Way: Participate | Advocate | Volunteer |Educate
National MS Society, Greater Illinois Chapter 525 West Monroe Street, Suite 900, Chicago IL 60661 888.343.1179 | WalkMSillinois.org |WalkMSillinois@nmss.org
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