by Debbi | Apr 11, 2010 | Events, Good Things
Yesterday's Walk MS in Lawrence was a huge success!
The Sandbar team's 17 members had a great time. Most of us met at the bar at 8:30 am- and for several of us it was a VERY early morning. Carpools were arranged and orange special edition Sandbar/Walk MS shirts were handed out. Then, it was off to registration at Sunflower Elementary.
The volunteers who staffed the event did a great job. There was breakfast food and water available to everyone, and the registration lines moved quickly. All walkers who raised at least $100 got a free Walk MS t-shirt, too.
As the walkers lined up at the starting point, buzz was building about a very special guest who had been spotted- Secretary of Health & Human Services and former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius was present! She cut the ribbon at the starting line, and she also walked with the group.
Two walking routes were available- 3 miles and 6 miles. Guess which one we picked. It was funny, though, because team member Courtney's mom and aunt thought we all picked the long route, so they turned a different way, thinking they were taking the short route. Turns out, we were on the short route- and they created their own even shorter route. I think she was disappointed when she found out she didn't actually walk 3 miles.
Our whole team finished, and Michelle and Bettina even did a celebratory run to the finish line for their medals.
After the walk, we all headed back to the Sandbar for sandwiches, fruit, and cake graciously provided by team captain Courtney. And let me tell you, we were a lively bunch….everyone was tired. Or maybe hungover. But we're not judging.
Thanks to everyone who donated funds or walked for the cause- your efforts are truly appreciated!
by Debbi | Apr 9, 2010 | Events, Good Things
Well, the time has come for our awesome Sandbar team to take to the sidewalks in West Lawrence and walk for MS.
The annual Walk MS, a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is tomorrow. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at Sunflower Elementary School and the Walk begins at 10. I haven't been able to find any information about how long the Walk is- it could be a mile, or we could be walking all day.
Our team is currently in second place among Lawrence teams with $2033 raised! We set a lofty goal of $5000, so we fell short of that- but it sounds like some of our walkers still have cash & check donations that haven't been included in our total.
The first place team is the Old West Lawrence Walkers, and holy cow! They have raised $8470 as of right now! That's truly amazing and we concede there's no way we'll overtake them.
Funny enough, there's also a Team Margaritaville in the Lawrence Walk! It's not us, but we love their name! And some of our other Sandbar friends are on Team Droopy.
Come out tomorrow to Sunflower Elementary and support our team. We'll be the ones in the bright orange Sandbar shirts. And, it's not too late to donate if you're so inclined. Head over to our Team Page and make a donation online, or contact one of our team members.
After the Walk, we'll be celebrating with an after-party at the Sandbar. Join us, or check it out on the webcam!
by Debbi | Mar 11, 2010 | Good Things
We're interrupting the St. Patrick's Day love-fest to give you an update on our Walk MS team's efforts.
This week is MS Awareness Week. Over 400,000 people suffer from MS, and
another person is diagnosed every hour.
The Lawrence Walk MS is April 10- just under a month away. Right now we have 17 walkers signed up on our team and we've raised $1245, or 25% of our goal of $5000. The Sandbar also committed to a matching donation of up to $500, and we've obviously met that goal!
Check out our team page; it's not too late to sign up to walk or to donate. We'd really love it if you did both! And we'll have prizes again this week:
- Make a donation to a team member
- Sign up as a team member
- Increase your number of donations this week, if you are already a team member
If you don't live near Lawrence, you can still participate as a virtual team member. Raise at least $50 and we'll mail a Sandbar t-shirt to you.
Random prize drawings will take place next Sunday!
by Debbi | Feb 24, 2010 | Events, Good Things
Last month we announced plans for a Sandbar-sponsored team in the upcoming Walk MS, a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and MS research. We're hoping to bring together fans & friends from all over the area to not only raise funds, but to walk together on April 10.
Here's an update on our progress:
- Our team now has 15 members! Thanks to everyone who has joined.
- We've raised $590! Thanks to everyone who has donated.
- Our target goal is $5000. We have 45 days left until the Walk.
Remember:
- The Sandbar will match all donations up to $500.
- All walkers will get a free Sandbar t-shirt to wear at the Walk!
- All walkers/donors are invited to a team party at the Sandbar after the Walk.
We've added prizes! We awarded our first prizes this week: a couple of iTunes gift cards. Everyone who either signed up to walk, or donated money (or both, if you like to double-dip) was entered into a random drawing. Congratulations to Jenny and Louise, this week's winners!
We'll have some more prizes coming up the week of March 7-14, which is MS Awareness Week. Be sure to sign up to walk, donate, or both before that week! Everyone who's already donated/signed up is still eligible to win.
Be a Virtual Member!
We know many of you don't live in the area, but still want to
participate. Thanks to our friend Gina for this idea: become a virtual
team member! If you don't live here, or can't make it to the Walk on
April 10, you can still sign up to walk.
- Register online and one of the team captains will contact you.
- Raise at least $50 and we'll mail you a free Sandbar t-shirt and some drink toys.
- Watch the team party on the Sandbar webcam and pretend you're there! (We'll even wave!)
Visit our Team Page today!
by Debbi | Jan 22, 2010 | Events, Good Things
Many of us who work and play at The Sandbar personally know someone who
is affected by Multiple Sclerosis. We have friends and relatives who are diagnosed with
MS, and many friends and relatives who know someone with MS.
The symptoms of MS are different for everyone. You may not be able to walk, you may suddenly have impaired vision, or your memory may fail for no reason. There are 400,000 people living with MS in the United States, and no cure is available- yet.
We've mentioned MS before- bartender Danny has raised lots of funds for MS by riding in the MS150 bike ride for the past three years.
Walk MS is an annual fundraising event sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The funds support research for a cure, as well as provide programs to address the needs of people living with MS.
The Sandbar has formed a team for this year's Walk MS in Lawrence. The walk is Saturday, April 10, at 9 a.m. And of course it's going to be a blast- we're The Sandbar after all!
Peach has very generously offered for The Sandbar to match every dollar raised, up to $500. Every walker will receive a FREE Sandbar t-shirt. And after the walk, everyone's invited back to The Sandbar for a team party with snacks and drink specials.
So, what are you waiting for? Join our team!
If you aren't interested in walking with us, you can still donate to the cause. Go to our team page and pick one of the team members; you can donate on their personal page. All donations to team members count toward the team goal of $3000.
And, if you don't want to walk and you aren't able to donate- help us out by at least spreading the word and cheering us on at the event!
