Brampton Walk for ALS

[Al]

The walk is Sept. 30 and there is an article about me and the walk at www.bramptonguardian.com in the Lifestyles Section.

 

[David]

Muhaha, such a handsome man: http://www.northpeel.com/br/lifestyle/story/3671207p-4244533c.html

Great article Al... and you managed to get in a link to the forums; you're good looking and thoughtful!

Anyone got a few dollars to support Al?
Please support Al in his walk by visiting his personal website and making an online donation: http://www.als.ca/events/mysite.aspx?fid=790

Way to go Al!

 

[Barbie4]

Good Luck Al

Hey Al:

What a great Article in the paper. You look fabulous! I wanted to wish you a ton of luck raising money for your walk in Brampton. I also wanted to thank you again for all that you do for us on this forum. You find the right words all the time and your support is amazing. I know there are alot of people on here that feel the same way.

So THANK YOU!

Gail, Tim and their friends and family will be walking the same day as you in NEWMARKET.

sincerely,

Barbie

 

[rcharlton]

I've registered and set up a web site for the Hike 4 ALS - which is on the same date.

Too bad we could not be walking at the same location.

Didn't the ALS walk used to be in June?

There are a whole number of walk and hike locations around Toronto on Sept 30 - so everyone is spread out at different sites - too bad

Good luck with your fundraising.

 

[Al]

I'm not sure who's brilliant idea that was Richard but I addressed the issue at the ALS Ont. Annual General Meeting last Saturday in Toronto. I think I might have made a few people upset with me but I'm not happy with the changes being made and 5 key staff members have left in the last month or so. Someone at the top in the office or the Board has lost touch with reality. They recently passed a motion to freeze the funding for the equipment pool at $1000 per item. No exceptions, no appeal procedure, that's the rule like it or lump it. So does anyone know what a wheelchair or stair glide or feeding pump or shower transfer bench costs? Slightly more than $1000 but we ain't getting anymore of them until someone changes the criteria. I didn't hear about this until after the meeting. So WHY are we hiking, walking etc? To raise money for the equipment pool?
Money that won't be spent on the things we need? Everyone in Ontario should contact a board member and tell them something's wrong here. It's money we've raised and it should be used as needed not with an arbitrary cap on funding.
Sorry for the rant Richard but I thought people should know. AL.

 

[hope]

Al that is a great picture and it is great what you are doing. My husband and I say thank you for walking the walk.

Hope.

 

[hope]

Al I read your post and I do not understand this at all. It is unbelievable all the money raised and I have said this many times in the year, we could not get help with one thing. I asked the same questions you ask. Everything my husband has we are paying for and it is costing alot of money but there is no help. My husband and I decided that when we were finished with the things he can no longer use that we will give it to someone who has als. This is very upsetting reading this.

hope.

 

[joejoe]

I'm not sure who's brilliant idea that was Richard but I addressed the issue at the ALS Ont. Annual General Meeting last Saturday in Toronto. I think I might have made a few people upset with me but I'm not happy with the changes being made and 5 key staff members have left in the last month or so. Someone at the top in the office or the Board has lost touch with reality. They recently passed a motion to freeze the funding for the equipment pool at $1000 per item. No exceptions, no appeal procedure, that's the rule like it or lump it. So does anyone know what a wheelchair or stair glide or feeding pump or shower transfer bench costs? Slightly more than $1000 but we ain't getting anymore of them until someone changes the criteria. I didn't hear about this until after the meeting. So WHY are we hiking, walking etc? To raise money for the equipment pool?
Money that won't be spent on the things we need? Everyone in Ontario should contact a board member and tell them something's wrong here. It's money we've raised and it should be used as needed not with an arbitrary cap on funding.
Sorry for the rant Richard but I thought people should know. AL.

I have met afew people myself that were involved with the society 2 yrs ago ,and they left the society after they changed the walk date from june to sept .Unfortunately they felt that they (as volenteers ) didnt have much of a say.Maybe soomeone should ask to see how much of the funding goes to admin, research,equipment pool,etc etc.........I agree Al,that the money should be used accordingly.
joe

 

[Al]

From what I have been told 60% of the money goes to the equipment pool and 40% goes to ALS Canada for the research fund. A small portion can be used by the Walk Committee for expenses. My concern is that in the minutes of the meeting I read there is a cap on spending and no clear provision to amend this in special cases. I expect to have more information on this this evening. Don't get the lynching party formed yet. There is usually two sides to a story. I'll get back to you with the other. AL.

 

[hope]

Al we did not realize that there was a cap on spending and there was a limit. We understand now why it would be difficult to get help with some of the things that we needed. A stair lift cost 3500 dollars, way over what one would be entitled to.

hope.

 

[Al]

Hi Hope. I did find out last night that the Society has been renting or leasing some of the higher price items over the last little while. Supposedly it is more cost effective because they have found that a lot of the higher price items aren't used for long periods of time. Sort of makes sense, maybe. So while my information was correct it wasn't complete so I apologize but at least we know people are reading and paying attention. I'll let you know if I hear any more on this. AL.

 

[Barbie4]

Mmmm

Hi there:

I have been talking to a board member from ALS Canada and from ALS Ontario and I am not feeling very confident right now in either group. The board member for
ALS Ontario, says that Ontario is extremely tight on cash right now. Now, I thought I had read somewhere that they were over their fundraising goal for the walks? Did any one else hear that?
I do not know alot about how these boards function and how successful they are, but there wasn't alot of advertising for the upcoming September walks that I could see around. Al, you did a piece in your local paper, and Gail has done one in her local paper and in the Toronto Sun, both initiated by her friends.
I truly believe it is something to look into. Especially where all of the research funds are going and how they decide where that goes. Research is so important to give us hope.
I have joined an advocacy group for The Sunnybrook Hospital, and our goal is to raise funds for that hospital to improve patient care and start up a research program there. They need alot of money, but at least we are trying.

I would be interested to hear more info on these two boards and any positive or negative feedback on them. I really do not know enough about them.

Barbie

 

[Al]

I did bring the publicity issue up at the meeting as well. I expect to hear an announcement next week. I have the audited statements but the year end is before the spring walks so the numbers for 2006 aren't in yet. I think some walks were down and some were up. Next weeks walks should tell the tale in Ont. at least. The website donations for our walk are down so far this year. We shall see.

 

[rcharlton]

I think the numbers are way down for the Hike 4 ALS this year.

Last year there were 21 Fundraiser web-sites - this year only 11.

Part of this may be due to the fact that the walk is on the same day - but you mentioned that the walk numbers are down too.