MS Connection Spring 2015 Issue

SPRING 2015 | National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Wisconsin Chapter

Take Action MS Awareness Week occurs every March and people all across the country take this opportunity to wear orange and more importantly raise awareness by letting others know what multiple sclerosis means to them.

But it’s not about raising MS awareness for just one week. It’s about keeping that momentum going all year long. It’s also about taking action … for your loved one, a dear friend or perhaps yourself.

Form a team for Walk MS. Check the box on your income tax form to donate to MS financial assistance. Join the Lawry Circle like Peach and Tom (Page 3). Educate others on what MS is and how it impacts you. These actions make a difference. These actions show support of a loved one, help people with MS maintain independence and fund critical research.

So let’s keep the momentum going. How will you take action?

In gratitude,

Colleen G. KaltPresident & CEO

National Multiple Sclerosis Society- Wisconsin Chapter Board of Trustees

Tom Golden, Chair M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc.

Michael Lutze, Vice Chair Ernst & Young

James Rose, Vice Chair Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

Pamela Evason, Vice Chair Windermere Wealth Advisors, LLC

Kenneth Minor, Treasurer Sonic Foundry, Inc.

Robert Sowinski, Secretary Diversified Insurance Solutions

David Rodgers, Past Chair Briggs & Stratton Corporation

Colleen Kalt, President & CEO National MS Society- Wisconsin Chapter

Anne Brouwer McMillianDoolittle, LLP

Robert Buhler Open Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin, Inc.

Dennis Christiansen Secured Retirement Strategies Group, LLC

Robert deJong Rose & deJong, S.C.

Robert Engel Retired, M&I Bank

Paul Jones Harley-Davidson, Inc.

Fr. James Kaestner Retired

Wayne Larsen Ladish Company Foundation

Martin McLaughlin Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c.

David Raysich Plunkett Raysich Architects

Jeffrey Steren Steren Management/McDonald’s

MS Connection | 2 The National MS Society is committed to creating a world free of MS.

If you or someone you know has MS: Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional or contact the National MS Society at nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure. The National MS Society does not endorse products, services or manufacturers. Such names appear here solely because they are considered valuable information. The National MS Society assumes no liability for the use of contents of any product or service mentioned. Information provided by the Society is based upon professional advice, published, experience and expert opinion. Information provided in response to questions does not constitute therapeutic recommendations or prescriptions. The National MS Society recommends that all questions and information be discussed with a personal physician.

MS Connection | 3

Peach and Tom Robinson are avid antiquers. They’ve traveled to find them, collected them

and furnished their Cape Cod style house with them – including three tall case (grandfather) clocks dating back to the 1700s.

“My wife has always been interested in old things. That’s why she likes me today,” jokes Tom. The couple has been married for 52 years, so long – and so happily – that they really are that couple who finishes each other’s sentences.

“He’s my sweetheart,” Peach says.

“It’s a mutual admiration society,” he assures.

And it’s a relationship that’s been made stronger by MS.

Peach was diagnosed in 1975 after experiencing numbness in her feet and legs. She says she was devastated by the news. Tom says they both were. They had moved to De Pere from Green Bay and there weren’t any neurologists in the area.

“There were no treatments, so visiting the neurologist really did no good other than giving you someone to talk to about MS,” Peach remembers.

Steroids were used when she had flare ups, which came every three to four years. They would affect her vision, then leave her with some small but lasting residual effect. Peach tried not to let it slow her down. After all, she and Tom had three young sons who were actively involved in sports. “It changes your life,” she says of MS, “but you carry on.”

“ We’re in this together. Just remember that. ” - Tom Robinson

The couple did so, together. Peach recalls Tom telling her, “We’re in this together. Just remember that.” They participated in Walk MS when it began in Milwaukee. They moved to the walk in Appleton when that one was launched.

Walking TogetherFor the Robinsons, Walk MS in De Pere is all about relationships

Peach joined the National MS Society-Wisconsin Chapter’s Board of Trustees it the mid ‘80s and was named MS Mother of the Year, an honor the Chapter used to award annually. Then she and Tom were asked by the Chapter to start a walk in De Pere.

Bringing Walk MS to De Pere“I said, ‘Oh my goodness. Do you know what you’re asking?’” Peach recalls of her reaction. “I told Tom, ‘I can’t do this by myself.’ He said ‘I’ll help you.’ I said ‘We can’t do this by ourselves!’ Then the kids said, ‘We’ll help you.’”

So the family of five took it on, and found a community of people who wanted to help. Together they were all determined not to spend a penny, even with deciding the walk would include a breakfast and a lunch. That meant scouring the city for support, and being prepared for every

Continued on Page 4

Peach and Tom Robinson say their 52-year marriage has been made stronger because of multiple sclerosis. They helped start Walk MS: De Pere to support everyone affected by the disease.

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possible outcome in early spring in Wisconsin. (Yes, they had snowblowers on stand-by in case it snowed.) But all in all, the couple says, the 1995 start-up committee succeeded.

“ Now, 20 years and more than $1 million in fundraising later, Walk MS: De Pere is celebrating a milestone anniversary... “

Now, 20 years and more than $1 million in fundraising later, Walk MS: De Pere is celebrating a milestone anniversary. Tom and Peach have turned the reins over to new leaders and are stepping away from the committee, but not from the walk itself. They feel the event planning is in good hands: a great committee (including sons and a daughter-in-law), the support of the staff

at a terrific location (West De Pere High School), and “an awful lot of good volunteers.” They’ve also seen the results of their labor.

“All those funds raised over the years at Walk MS have been put toward finding out about MS. Look at the number of drugs available today. That’s where we’ve seen the wonderful things happening,” Peach says.

When Walk MS began, there were no FDA approved treatments for MS. Today there are 15 for the most common forms of the disease.

“MS is still a scary thing,” she adds, “but with all the resources the Society puts toward research, one of these days, a cure is going to be found.” It’s something the couple believes in so strongly that they also became members of the National MS Society’s Lawry Circle a few years ago by making a defined gift to the Society in their will – making sure their commitment to ending MS will endure.

The Power of Relationships“Tom and Peach’s story is truly one of love, not only for each other, but for everyone living with MS,” says Colleen G. Kalt, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Chapter. “They were the start of this community rallying point in De Pere – one couple who have created a way for an entire community to connect and help those touched by the disease.”

The Robinsons agree that Walk MS is empowering. Those who have MS see there are others in the community living with it. Those who love someone with MS can literally show their support. It’s a way to rally, together.

“It helps them realize there is hope,” Tom says. “It buoys them up, especially when you’re newly diagnosed.”

It buoys them up after 40 years, too. Peach recounts a story that one of her daughter-in-laws shared about a grandson whose schedule didn’t look like it would allow him to be home for Walk MS this year. “He said, ‘Mom, I have worked for that walk every year and I – will – be – home.’

“It warms my heart and makes me feel loved to have everyone there.” n

Lawry Circle members demonstrate their commitment to improving the lives of those affected by MS by establishing a deferred gift for the Society through their will, trust or estate plan. Through their generosity, Lawry Circle members offer a lasting legacy of support to all people affected by MS.

To learn more, visit nationalmssociety.org/Donate/Giving-Circles/Lawry-Circle.

Continued from Page 3

Walk MS: De Pere marks its 20th year in 2015. Tom and Peach Robinson (second and third from left) have been part of it since the beginning, along with sons (l-r) Todd, Jon and Perry.

Mapping MS SusceptibilityDr. Philip De Jager of Harvard, recipient of the 2014 Barancik Prize for Innovation in Research, presented the Consortium’s latest findings – a replication of its pivotal genetics study, published in Nature Genetics (online, September 29, 2013), that identified 48 new genetic variants associated with MS based on data gathered from 30,000 people with MS and more than 50,000 controls without MS. Gene research is grueling – data from thousands of people with

“ ... data from thousands of people with and without MS need to be gathered in massive numbers ... “

- Dr. Claude Schofield

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People affected by multiple sclerosis sometimes ask me: “It’s great that they found another

gene that is linked to MS, but what does it mean for me?” Well, the genetics research presented at the annual meeting of the Americas and European Committees for Treatment and Research in MS (ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS), held in Boston this past September, has given me great answers.

How Genes InteractDr. David Hafler of Yale University launched the discussion about genes and MS when he delivered the keynote lecture during the opening ceremony. He was the founder, with other researchers, of the International MS Genetics Consortium, a team that has turned MS genetics on its ear. “Virtually every MS geneticist on earth is working together,” he declared, and spoke eloquently about where we are in the search for MS genes. He noted that there will likely be hundreds of MS risk genes uncovered eventually. “Each [gene] by itself has a small effect on disease risk, but each interacts with the environment,” he noted. “These are not bad genes, and it’s not a bad environment – it’s a bad interaction.”

Understanding MS Genetics Research

Continued on Page 6

BY CLAUDE SCHOFIELD, PHD

Dr. Claude Schofield is the director of Discovery Research at the National MS Society. Dr. Schofield completed his undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

More than 159 genetic variations related to MS have been identified.

and without MS need to be gathered in massive numbers, and then all those data must be replicated. Dr. De Jager announced that after studies involving over 80,000 people, they now have identified more than 159 genetic variations related to MS, and more importantly, have begun to identify the specific immune cells and proteins involved, and how much weight each one carries. “We have created a reference map of MS susceptibility,” said Dr. De Jager. “Now we turn to the task of understanding the biology of MS susceptibility.”

Exploring DifferencesDr. Noriko Isobe of University of California, San Francisco, and the Consortium, reported on how genes differ between African Americans and Caucasians with MS, following up on a 2013 study published in Neurology (online, June 14, 2013). Eight novel genes were identified among African Americans with MS that were not uncovered in the larger gene scans. We’ve seen that the experience of African Americans with MS is different from that of Caucasians, and this study is putting us on the road to finding out why.

Genes and Vitamin DDr. Jennifer Graves of University of California, San Francisco and the Network of Pediatric MS Centers reported on findings from an ongoing study led by investigators nationwide of what triggers MS in children. They showed that vitamin D status, which has been linked to MS risk, was associated with MS relapses only if children have a specific immune gene. The original study included 185 kids, and this group is collecting data on hundreds more. Trials of vitamin D supplementation are ongoing, so I’m hopeful that future findings will show who may be helped most by this strategy.

Translating the DataTaking a big step toward translating all of this gene data, Dr. Nikolaos Patsopoulos of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and colleagues from a range of institutions in Boston examined which proteins interact with the 159 genes that have been pinpointed by the Consortium. Then they cross-linked this information with the “druggable genome”– a data set on how existing therapeutics interact with the genome – and identified more than 2,000 possible therapeutic interactions.

“ Genetics research is a huge part of our efforts to end MS forever... “

- Dr. Claude Schofield

Genetics research is a huge part of our efforts to end MS forever because by understanding factors that may cause MS, we’re better able to target research of solutions to those specific factors. This meeting has given me a lot of hope that we are on the right path to doing just that. n

Originally published on MSconnection.org/blog.

To follow the latest MS research, visit nationalMSsociety.org/research, or sign up for MS eNEWS at nationalMSsociety.org/signup.

Continued from Page 5

Susan, diagnosed in 1995

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2 MAKE A MARK FOR MS. Wisconsin’s tax check-off program allows everyone to donate through their state income tax form. Every dollar donated for multiple sclerosis stays in Wisconsin. This year $75,000 must be raised in order to maintain MS in the program next year. Make a donation on your state income tax form and ask all your friends, neighbors and family members to do the same as a way of honoring MS Awareness Month.

3 WEAR ORANGE. Orange is the signature color for multiple sclerosis. Wear it, and let everyone know why.

4 VISIT MSCONNECTION.ORG. Join thousands of people supporting one another and exploring the issues affecting

those living with MS. Find peer-to-peer support, learn more about MS, donate and discover other ways to get involved. n

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March is MS Awareness Month and March 2-8 is MS Awareness Week – a time to encourage

everyone with a connection to get involved in the MS Movement. It’s estimated that everyone in Wisconsin knows someone touched by the disease, since the state is believed to have one of the higher prevalence rates in the nation. More than 11,000 children, women and men have been diagnosed.

Every Connection Counts How can you get involved to raise MS awareness and help those with multiple sclerosis? Here are four easy ideas:

1 REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE IN WALK MS. It’s the easiest way to get involved, it’s a great way for friends and family to rally for everyone diagnosed with MS, and the money raised supports research, programs and services. The “I Walk with MS” program also honors those diagnosed with MS.

There will be 20 Walk MS events throughout the state in April, May and September, but many individuals and teams register and fundraise in March in honor of MS Awareness Month.

Connect for MS Awareness Month

MS Summit is the Wisconsin Chapter’s capstone event for MS Awareness Week. The annual day of education and networking is free to attend and includes updates on living well with MS plus the latest in MS research. Visit wisMS.org for details on the March 7 program.

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MS Connection | 8

It’s critical that everyone in the state with a connection to MS makes a donation through their state income tax form and ask everybody they know to do the same. Each dollar is tax deductible and stays in Wisconsin to help those with MS who are in financial need. n

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Brenda Bacon can describe firsthand how multiple sclerosis can strip someone of their

independence. After 19 years of living with the disease herself, it had become progressive and she was finding it difficult to flex her legs. That made walking difficult and turned the stairs at her farmhouse into a safety hazard. There was talk she would need to move to a nursing home. She had just turned 50 in October.

But the Eagle River resident found help thanks to fellow Wisconsinites who made donations for multiple sclerosis through their tax forms last year. Those funds helped Bacon and her husband afford the installation of a motorized lift at their home. With it, Bacon can go out and come in safely with just the touch of a button.

“ Now I can go outside with my walker whenever I can and want to .“

- Brenda Bacon

She retains her independence and says her quality of life has improved – both hallmarks of what dollars donated for MS through the state’s tax check-off program are meant to do.

“One takes for granted being able to go up and down steps and just walking around until you cannot do it. You become very isolated,” she explained. “Now I can go outside with my walker whenever I want to, and have peace of mind that I can stay in the home we built on the orchard over 30 years ago.

“Your tax donation has given me a whole new life,” she added in wanting to thank those who donated.

Program Changes Could Put Others at RiskUnfortunately, changes to Wisconsin’s tax check-off program – which go into effect this year with the 2014 tax filing – could erase $75,000 or more in financial assistance for those with MS. That will affect the quality of life for some people diagnosed with MS and put them at a greater risk in being able to maintain their independence.

Bringing It Home for BaconTax check-off donations critical in helping those with MS

Wisconsinites such as Brenda Bacon (above and at right with her family) were helped thanks to money donated through the state’s tax check-off program. At least $75,000 in donations is needed this year in order to keep multiple sclerosis in the program.

Designate a donation for multiple sclerosis on your Wisconsin Income

Tax Form and ask everyone youknow to do the same.

“ Walk MS brings awareness, and if we don’t do that, how will people ever know what MS is?” – Marie Robinson

Walk MS Team Captain

Rally for everyone affected by MS.Register for Walk MS, invite others to join you and start fundraising today at walkMS.org

“ The average person can get more spoons. With MS, you can’t.”

That’s how Marie Robinson can best describe her Walk MS team name as well as what it’s like to live with MS.

Both come from “The Spoon Theory,” a way of describing what it’s like to live with a chronic disease by comparing spoons to the number of actions one can complete in a day. People who are

healthy have an unlimited supply of spoons, but those with a chronic disease have a smaller quantity that varies day to day.

Team “Hoping for Spoons,” led by Robinson, was born from that idea. They participated in last year’s inaugural Walk MS: Oshkosh and raised more than $1,500 – money to fund research that can give everyone with MS more “spoons” to get through their day.

“Walk MS brings awareness, and if we don’t do that, how will people ever know what MS is?” said Robinson, who was diagnosed in 1991. She added that it’s equally important

for people diagnosed with MS to be involved as it is for those who care about them.

“It’s not just your illness. It affects your whole family. You have to have people around you who understand what you’re going through, and they understand that better at the walk.”

Rally for everyone affected by MS.Register for Walk MS, invite others to join you and start fundraising today at walkMS.org

WALKING FOR MS

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Those who helped fuel advancements in treating and understanding multiple sclerosis in 2014

were honored during the National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Wisconsin Chapter’s annual meeting and celebration, held December 9, 2014 at the Chenequa Country Club.

Dan Erschen, owner of Wisconsin Metal Parts in Waukesha, was presented with the Chapter’s Impact Award in recognition of his efforts in improving the lives of those with MS. Erschen, who has MS, has created an exercise studio at his business that caters to individuals with the disease. With his encouragement, members of the workout group have gone on to participate in the Wisconsin Chapter’s Walk MS, Bike MS: TOYOTA Best Dam Bike Tour and Challenge Walk MS events, as well as the annual indoor triathlon at West Wood Health and Fitness Center in Pewaukee.

Annual Meeting and CelebrationHonoring those who fuel multiple sclerosis advancements

Alexander Ng, PhD, FACSM, and Kelly Malucha, RN, were recognized for their induction into the National MS Society’s Volunteer Hall of Fame in November. Ng is an associate professor at Marquette University and the Medical College of Wisconsin, and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Malucha is an MS certified nurse at the Center for Neurological Disorders at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.

Wisconsin researchers Hao Zhang, PhD, assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Bonnie Dittel, PhD, from the Blood Research Institute BloodCenter of Wisconsin, were recognized as recipients of a nearly $650,000 Society grant to study whether blocking free radicals in an MS model will provide clues to stopping disease progression. Theirs is among the 380 new and ongoing studies being funded currently by the Society.

It was announced at the meeting that the Wisconsin Chapter raised $4.7 million during Fiscal Year 2014 and contributed to the record-breaking $50.6 million dedicated to global research by the Society in 2014. n

(L-R) Peter Buerosse from Pewaukee and Steve and Suzy Garrison from Waukesha were among those who attended the annual meeting and celebration at the Chenequa Country Club.

Alexander Ng, PhD, FACSM, and Kelly Malucha, RN, were both inducted into the National MS

Society’s Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2014.

(L-R) Sarah and Milton Hwang from Bayside and Pam Kriger from Milwaukee also attended the celebration, which honored those who helped fuel the MS Movement in 2014. Sarah was Wisconsin’s top Walk MS fundraiser last year.

Dan Erschen (left), recipient of the 2014 Impact Award, with Dave Rodgers, past Chapter Board of Trustees chair and CFO for Briggs & Stratton Corp.

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Snow-covered trails and a friendly atmosphere set the scene for the 2015 MS Snowmobile Tour. More than 130 snowmobile enthusiasts and

volunteers – including a record number of rookie riders – came together in Lac du Flambeau in January for the event. Participants have already raised more than $270,000 and donations are still being accepted. Over the course of the Tour’s 32-year history, participants have raised more than $7 million for MS-related research, programs and services. n

More than 130 Snowmobilers Gather for 32nd Annual Fundraising Event

Grants Support Research, Programs and ServicesThe Wisconsin Chapter thanks the following organizations for the grants recently awarded in support of research, programs and services that are critical to people affected by MS.

In total, more than $90,000 was received in gifts and grants from October through December. If you are connected to a foundation that you would like to suggest for a grant opportunity, or for more information on how you can help, contact Cindy Yomantas at 262-369-4431 or [email protected].

• $25,000 Ladish Co. Foundation • $10,000 Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. • $10,000 Edward U. Demmer Foundation • $5,000 David V. Uihlein Foundation • $5,000 Jack DeLoss Taylor Charitable Trust • $5,000 Krause Family Foundation Fund

at Schwab Charitable Fund • $5,000 Lux Foundation, Inc. • $5,000 Puelicher Foundation, Inc. • $5,000 The Victor & Christine Anthony Family

Foundation • $4,500 Briggs & Stratton Corporation Foundation, Inc. • $4,000 Northwestern Mutual Foundation • $2,000 Barrow Medical Foundation

• $2,000 Oshkosh Area Community Foundation • $1,000 Greater Milwaukee Foundation –

West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. • $990 Greater Milwaukee Foundation –

David C. Scott Foundation Fund • $250 Telly Foundation, LTD • $246 Leeds Township Charity Fund • $100 Geraldine V. Hoffmeier Fund, a donor-advised

fund of Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund • $100 Madison Community Foundation – Ragatz Fund • $50 James & Nancy Youngerman, a donor-advised

fund of the Jewish Federation of Madison • $50 Treharne Family Charitable Giving, a donor-

advised fund of Fidelity Charitable

The 2016 MS Snowmobile Tour is January 28-30 and will be headquartered at the Potawatomi Carter Casino and Hotel in Carter, Wis. Register at MSsnowmobiletour.org or by calling 262-369-4400.

positions of giving and supporting,” she said. “I needed to find something that I could continue to give.”

Patricia’s artistic creations also include handmade greeting cards, glass sculptures, knit items and watercolor paintings.

Team Effort Over the years the Hellers’ team of fundraisers, called Multiple Screwballs, has grown significantly, from

five volunteers the first year to a team of more than 20 walkers and volunteers last year.

Patricia and her team host fundraising events such as watercolor classes, wine and cheese parties, Zumbathons and in-home bingo parties. They also host rest stops at Challenge Walk MS, with fun themes such as Saturday Night Live, the Olympics and ‘50s Rock and Roll.

Patricia explained her team’s motivation to keep generating funds for MS. “Our team is now comprised of friends of friends, relatives of friends, and relatives of relatives – all with connections to MS: mother, brother-in-law, niece, uncle, friend. All having MS. All needing our help. These people are our motivation. If not us, who?” n

Written by Nick Foster, a marketing communications volunteer for the Wisconsin Chapter, and a recent graduate of Mount Mary University, where he studied English with a concentration in creative writing.

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Patricia Heller, of Sevastopol, Wis., not only uses her talents

to raise money for multiple sclerosis, she inspires others to do the same. Individually she has raised more than $63,000, and her team has generated more than $248,000.

Patricia, who was diagnosed with MS in 2005, said,“My life changed overnight. I was no longer able to climb the steps in my dream home. I couldn’t ride my bike, hike, play golf or canoe.”

But that didn’t mean she was going to give up.

“It was time to re-create my life,” she explained. She left her career as a middle school principal and started painting. She and her husband, Tom, downsized from a five-acre home to a condo in Door County. And they got involved with Challenge Walk MS, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Wisconsin Chapter fundraising event held in September in Door County.

“I started painting and making greeting cards and decided to sell them to raise money for MS,”

Patricia said. “We volunteered at Challenge Walk MS and after that we were hooked. Along with many friends and relatives, we started to produce cards to sell at local stores. That was

almost eight years ago and now we have our cards in about 10 different shops and cafes.”

Creating and selling the cards gave Patricia a sense of purpose. “I spent my whole life in

MS Crusader, Artist and FundraiserPatricia Heller uses creativity to raise funds for MS

Patricia Heller (fourth from right) and her Challenge Walk MS team Multiple Screwballs raise funds and host rest stops.

Patricia Heller“ It was time to re-create my life. I started painting and making greeting cards and decided to sell them to raise money for MS. “

- Patricia Heller

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Holding a Do It Yourself Fundraiser is a fun way to raise both awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis. There are cook-offs, dances, bowling tournaments, bake sales and more. New in 2014, some DIY Fundraisers competed in athletic events and used the opportunity to raise funds through the Finish MS program.

More than 165 DIY Fundraising events were registered with the Wisconsin Chapter in 2014, which is an increase of 50 over the previous year. The events are listed here, along with the name of the organizer and the dollars raised as reported to the Chapter.*

Year in Review

For more informationabout holding your ownDIY Fundraiser in 2015,

contact Ashley Wissinger at [email protected]

or 262-369-4426.

JANUARY

New Year’s Eve PartyDenise JohnsonRAISED $1,208

Polar Bear DashChris PonteriRAISED $1,000

Make a Difference Mondays at Quaker Steak and Lube (Janesville)Brian and Kate FuchsRAISED $130

Denim Day Waukesha CountyJessica MorrisRAISED $884.50

9th Annual Help Find-A-Cure for Multiple Sclerosis BenefitBen RomeneskoRAISED $32,000

2nd Annual MS Volleyball TournamentDavid and Lindsay Koch, Heather Pokorsky and Richard PrausaRAISED $1,040

Zumbathon for MSEmilie McClure and Hayley, Marian and Molly RezelRAISED $338

Redmond Company Red DayThe Redmond CompanyRAISED $76

Tears for BeersDan GotzlerRAISED $520

2nd Annual MS Shootout- Racquetball TournamentTom GriffithRAISED $1,600

30th Annual MS Silent Auction and FundraiserPaul StoltmanRAISED $7,655

Help Find a Cure Chili’s Fundraiser (Appleton)Jan EbbenRAISED $182.72

Appleton North CoffeehouseAppleton North High School Student Council RAISED $500

* DIY Fundraisers and totals raised as reported to the Wisconsin Chapter as of February 1, 2015. Some events did not report their final results.

DIY Success StoryIt’s tough to resist the smell of freshly barbequed ribs and nearly impossible to say no to a 5-year-old selling lemonade. Patrick Lennartz, Manager – Indirect Taxes for Ernst & Young LLP in Milwaukee, counted on both in his fundraising efforts. Lennartz, along with daughter Erin, raised $650.

DIY Success StoryChristin Harding organizes Brew at the Barn, a tasting event featuring master home brewers and vintners from throughout south central Wisconsin. A barbeque competition was also included. The fifth annual event raised $2,200.

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Ag Drive Chili Cook OffTerri WilliamsRAISED $133

FEBRUARY

12th Annual Rabbits Unlimited LTD Rabbit HuntDon, Tom and Alan BellRAISED $35,690

West Salem Student Council MS Fundraiser Mariah NicholsRAISED $400

Hoops for HopeArrowhead Union High School Student SenateRAISED $1,750

Coulee Region Chill MS FundraiserMichelle BryantRAISED $3,225

Kortelopet – Birkie – Finish MSEllen CochranRAISED $1,245

Fox Communities Credit Union Dress Down Day (Appleton)Fox Communities Credit UnionRAISED $280.80

MARCH

6th Annual “Family Fun Day 4 MS” featuring Texas Hold’emConnie PlierRAISED $8,214

Charity Jamboree: Music Can Beat MSSteve and Jane SchmiedingRAISED $7,015

12th Annual Blarney Bash for MSAshley GorskiRAISED $32,992

Fight MS … Eggroll StyleMilton and Sarah HwangRAISED $6,492

Dance for a CureAngel BarberRAISED $520

Kappa Beta Gamma 12th Annual MS BenefitHeidi Hoffman and Anne PlourdeRAISED $4,266.25

Great Clips Denim DaysSara FrameRAISED $60

St. Patrick’s Day Eve MS FundraiserPeggy and Jim O’Leary and Linda WagnerRAISED $8,130

PyraMax Bank Casual Day (Greenfield)RAISED $260

Johnson Controls Employee FundraiserVerna-Lou MoschellaRAISED $1,508.87

Team Survivor ZumbathonDenise JohnsonRAISED $100

Rummage SaleLorraine LahdenperaRAISED $50

Shamrock Spin-A-ThonLori KolosowskyRAISED $200

Moonlight BowlingTrudy DeRemerRAISED $500

MS Fundraiser Benefit in Honor of Scott CharneyCozy InnRAISED $3,000

MS Fundraiser at the BarnKathy CrullRAISED $3,209.50

Year in Review

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Massage Marathon for MSChris Kinjerski and Jesse WaltersRAISED $443

St. Mary & St. Mathias Catholic School Non Uniform DayEmily WolfRAISED $167.45

Team CCC Kick Off PartyCurt SauserRAISED $560

Altra Federal Credit Union Employee Jeans Day Altra Federal Credit UnionRAISED $139.57

Lakeland College Athletic Department FundraiserApril ArvanRAISED $2,125

Greenheck Jean Days Peggy RobleRAISED $1,252

Sterling House Jeans for a Cause (Neenah)Christine GregoriousRAISED $25

Piggly Wiggly Non-Profit of the Month (Mequon)Marci WaldkirchRAISED $125.90

UnitedHealthOne Dress Down Day UnitedHealthOneRAISED $85

Monona Meadows FundraiserWhitney England and Lani Thomas RAISED $88

Barbequed Ribs SalePatrick Lennartz RAISED $500

APRIL

Orange You Glad You Walk for MS FundraiserJennifer Cot, Damari Cuevas and Roshelle WeistRAISED $1,250

7th Annual Open House FundraiserKaren MinorRAISED $475

Cinnamon Roll SaleEmily CunninghamRAISED $829

Robyn’s Birthday CelebrationRobyn TurtenwaldRAISED $1,960

Culver’s Share Day (Cross Plains)Steve NonnRAISED $799.87

Walgreens Bake Sale (Wausau)Merill Keen and Melani LarsenRAISED $498.50

MS FundraiserNancy O’LearyRAISED $6,125

Jan’s Fans Pulling for a Cure – Water Ski ShowTom HartRAISED $2,380

Humana – Jewelry is Fun FundraiserMolly Cowan and Jenni OliverRAISED $662.89

Howard Elementary Penny Wars and WalkVonnie VoightRAISED $50

Jeans DaySchool District of CudahyRAISED $1,120

Walk With Strength – 5th Annual Awareness WalkZach MielkeRAISED $8,500

Silent Auction Held at Walk MS: De PereMary PernaRAISED $2,520

Golf Fore MSVic EricksonRAISED $5,400

Bently Charity RaffleKelly JordanRAISED $290

Team Hammer MS FundraiserKaren Rude-PierceRAISED $2,061

“I’m not drunk – I have MS” Flower FundraiserMike and Tracy BenderRaised $220

Sargento Jeans Day FridaysJoan ButtersRAISED $656.97

JJ Keller FundraiserMac JohnsonRAISED $545.74

Year in Review

MS Connection | 18

Dynacare Laboratories Jeans for CharityBetty Van DykeRAISED $480

MAY

MS Gets on Our Nerves Benefit Basketball GameAutumn NeugentRAISED $3,000

Walk MS: Madison RaffleSusan LerdahlRaised $1,415

9 Pin Tap Bowl-A-ThonJulie MaddenRAISED $4,092

Benvenutos Supports Walk MS (Madison)Autumn NeugentRAISED $500

Chancery Give Back Night (Mequon, Milwaukee, Waukesha and Wauwatosa)Allie ConwayRAISED $351.18

Uno’s Chicago Grill Dough Raiser (Menomonee Falls)Robyn TurtenwaldRaised $24.76

RD Benefit RideRick OlsonRAISED $3,400

Fox Valley Road & Track Classic XIVRoy FineRAISED $2,490

Year in Review

Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon – Finish MSHoward HerrildRAISED $215

The O’Hare Family Charitable Giving Spring Clay ShootJohn O’Hare II, John O’Hare III, Gerald Jones and Geri PriceRAISED $4,760

Wells Fargo Fundraiser (Brookfield)James Van De VenRAISED $205

Eat to Beat MS on World MS Day at Glass Nickel PizzaCorey DintelmanRAISED $3,957.38

UFS Fund Drive to Benefit MSKristine WierzbinskiRAISED $1,020

Blurred Lines Brat FryStacey RemingtonRAISED $2,445

JUNE

Make a Difference Mondays at Quaker Steak and Lube (Janesville) Brian and Kate FuchsRAISED $220

2nd Annual Teed Off for MS Benefit Golf OutingCarla Knitter RAISED $1,357

10th Annual Neipert Golf OutingAlan and Nicki NeipertRAISED $2,250

Brew at the BarnChristin HardingRAISED $2,200

Bag MS at Hartfest Sponsored by Wachtel Tree Science Joe FangmannRAISED $3,513

Rummage and Bake SaleAlicia Osiecki, Amy Zumach and Colleen ZwitterRAISED $2,601

Damn Yankee’s Watering Hole Duck RacesRon ScherwinskiRAISED $5,376

The 3rd Annual Gamble Scramble Fore MSJosh Giersch and Dwayne Sweeney RAISED $4,492.74

FIS Jeans Week Fundraiser – Nominate Your Favorite Charity Steve Torretta RAISED $540

Girls Soccer FundraiserArrowhead High School Girls Soccer TeamRAISED $2,527.50

Scramble Fore MS Golf Outing Deb KnudsonRAISED $6,035

Heim Wedding Kiss for a CauseArron HeimRAISED $524

Pizzeria Piccola Fundraiser (Wauwatosa)Stephen Hudson-MairetRAISED $1,429

MS Connection | 19

Year in Review

DIY Success StorySarah and Milton Hwang welcomed friends and family to “Fighting MS…Eggroll Style” at the couple’s home. The event included an authentic Chinese dinner and the opportunity to win a private Chinese cooking party for six. They raised $6,492.

Make a Difference Monday at Quaker Steak and Lube (New Berlin)Joanne Hill and Maggie Sonneman RAISED $284

Lemonade Sale Patrick Lennartz RAISED $150

JULY

Blue Ribbon Beer Run Car ShowWisco ManiacsRAISED $5,000

60 for 60Kassie McManusRAISED $1,555

La Chimenea (Saukville)Kristi BraunRAISED $235.29

Rummage SaleDavid and Ann FreigangRAISED $1,244.45

Beer for a CureLindsay HaleRAISED $1,485

Spin-a-thon in Memory of Walter HermannsLaura HermannsRAISED $200

25th Annual Croal OpenDan, Mike and Tim CroalRAISED $50,010

Community Garage SaleTeagen JohnsonRAISED $464.55

Retro Wood Racket Tennis TournamentKalla SchaeferRAISED $590

8th Annual Fighting MS Golf EventFreeman and Pagel FamiliesRAISED $10,500

Annual Minocqua Antique and Classic Wooden Boat ShowPete Ekstrom, Al Hanley and Gordon Moore RAISED $11,402.22

Pedal and Party in Pardeeville with a PurposeHarry and Kay LumRaised $6,930

Bob-O-Classic Golf OutingShawn and Bryan NeddoRaised $1,250

1st Annual Hipster 5K and MS FundraiserJessica KramerRaised $3,100

Horseshoe TournamentPaula TrieglaffRAISED $3,165

Greater Duck Creek OpenJudy BuchtaRAISED $250

Rookies Sport Bar & Grill 6th Annual Golf Outing Pat and Lisa HaakRAISED $3,349

Joy for JeansLaurie HalzelRAISED $470

AUGUST

The 12th Annual A Drive for MS – Bogey Bare MS ScrambleKen BareRAISED $6,696.18

Jack Murphy Memorial Golf Outing Meta HartmanRAISED $3,002

MS Connection | 20

MS Golf OutingBecky BlauertRAISED $2,061.48

2nd Annual Perry-Vick Bowling Tournament Kevin VickRaised $1,950

MS CookoutLinda SimonisRAISED $522.71

14th Annual Pat’s Par-TeePat KlotzRAISED $1,780

Milton Mud ChallengeHeidi CrullRAISED $23,616.52

8th Annual JMO: A Drive for MSThe Erdmann and Lock FamiliesRAISED $2,450

The Northwestern Bank Casual Day (Chippewa Falls)The Northwestern BankRAISED $54

Woods and Water Paddle RacesHeather DavidsonRAISED $200

10th Annual Apple Holler Orchard Walk and Charity FundraiserDave Flannery and Sheri GavinRAISED $12,145.91

Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, S.C. Jeans DayToni DahmsRAISED $875

Thirty-One Fundraiser in Honor of Richard BrocketHeidi KomorowskiRAISED $50

Raffle and Photo HutHanna MeronkRAISED $1,690

SEPTEMBER

Community First Bank FundraiserMichelle LarsonRAISED $62.86

Texas Roadhouse Benefit Night (Waukesha)Texas RoadhouseRAISED $639.05

Adams County MS Golf for a CureMarty and June HillertRAISED $35,329.50

Metro Milwaukee Red Hat PicnicJean RehseRAISED $275

9th Annual Kenfest Gina KowalikRAISED $3,400

Dogleg Open a Golf Outing to Support MSDylan GuendertRAISED $11,138

Y Not II Annual MS BenefitShaleigh FitzpatrickRAISED $80

Flyboarding for MSMichael MikkelsonRAISED $766

Biloba Brewing FundraiserBiloba BrewingRAISED $156

Mukwonago High School Staff Charity Fun Run/WalkBruce LammersRAISED $430

Ride for Clyde Biking for Beulah – Third Time’s a CharmDawn JanischRAISED $3,020

Shaleigh’s 3rd MS Bike RideShaleigh FitzpatrickRAISED $915

Golf MSWendy McCarthyRAISED $3,780

Bootz Saloon & Grill’s 1st Annual Golf Outing Christopher (CJ) KempkenRAISED $4,126

Napa Car Care FairTom MentingRAISED $4,000

Green for JeansDan ZuzanskiRAISED $140

OCTOBER

Let’s Beat ItJames Rodin RAISED $615

Spaghetti DinnerCindy Koffman

Year in Review

MS Connection | 21

Putt 4 MSJesse Juedes

APAA Dodgeball for MSNicole Rademacher

3rd Annual Thanksgiving Turkey TrotDenise JohnsonRAISED $1,510

Mario Karts For MS – Finish MSZach HaertlRAISED $465

DECEMBER

Associated Bank Casual for a Cause DayChristy ChervenkaRAISED $485

Coed Quads Volleyball Tournament Scott and Linda WittmanRAISED $3,600

Christmas PartyChris DahlgrenRAISED $380

MHS Lock In – Staying the Night to End the FightMarci Mitchell-HallettRAISED $2,538.53

Mindy Brice’s BirthdayDan BriceRAISED $620

Hippie FestHanna MeronkRAISED $2,280.94

Year in Review

DIY Success StoryHoward Herrild ran in honor of his wife, Kerri, during the Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon. He was one of the first in Wisconsin to take advantage of the new Finish MS program, which gives endurance athletes a way to raise funds for MS while pursuing their personal fitness goals. He raised $215.

Tie One On to Beat MS Apron FundraiserJulie ConcannonRAISED $3,200

CNA Insurance FundraiserKristina TalkowskiRAISED $1,050

Orange OutAdams-Friendship High School Girls Volleyball TeamRAISED $250

Walk for a PurposeFred BrownRAISED $510

Women’s Charity Hockey TournamentJulie Balson RAISED $1,500

SpookwalkWayne NewbyRAISED $850

NOVEMBER

Halloween Party for MSDebra ForbesRAISED $1,150

Wine and DineAnnette MikatRAISED $719.72

Madison MarathonPhyl EricksonRAISED $325

Madison Half Marathon – Finish MSRob MultererRAISED $2,899.10

3rd Annual Perry-Vick Bowling TournamentKevin VickRAISED $1,975

MS Fundraiser at MillerCoorsKim MuszynskiRAISED $6,459

MS Connection | 22

How We Move ItWisconsin Chapter News and Notes

Apply for MS Youth Camp Applications are now being accepted for an MS Youth Camp for children (who have completed third grade up to age 18) who have a parent with MS, or who live in a household with a person who has MS. Children spend a week, June 15-20, 2015, at YMCA Camp Icaghowan in Amery, Wis., to have fun with others their age who are also impacted by MS. Volunteers are also needed. Volunteer opportunities are available for adults and teens who are 18 and have graduated from high school. For more information, visit wisMS.org or contact Krista Harding at 612-335-7937 or [email protected]. The last day to apply is April 30. Scholarships are available on a first come, first serve basis.

In the Winter 2014 issue of MS Connection, page 10, the caption for the Circle of Distinction Award should read: “Pictured left to right, Society President and CEO Cyndi Zagieboylo, Robyn Bscherer, Shelly Wilz, Mary Schmidt, Society Board of Trustees Chair Eli Rubenstein and Ann Clermont.”

MS AWARENESS WEEK March 2-8

MS SUMMIT March 7

PUBLIC POLICY CONFERENCE March 9-11

Wisconsin2015

MS WORLD DAY May 27

BIKE MS: TOYOTA BEST DAM BIKE TOUR

August 1-2

Door County2015

CHALLENGE WALK MSSeptember 18-20

DE PERE Sunday, April 19EAU CLAIRE Saturday, April 25LA CROSSE Saturday, April 25

MARSHFIELD Saturday, April 25APPLETON Sunday, April 26

SHEBOYGAN Sunday, April 26CEDARBURG Saturday, May 2

FOND DU LAC Saturday, May 2MENOMONEE FALLS Saturday, May 2

WAUSAU Saturday, May 2JANESVILLE Sunday, May 3MILWAUKEE Sunday, May 3

MADISON Sunday, May 3PLATTEVILLE Sunday, May 3

KENOSHA-RACINE Saturday, May 9OCONOMOWOC Saturday, May 9OSHKOSH Sunday, September 13

WAUKESHA Sunday, September 13STEVENS POINT Saturday, September 19

RHINELANDER Sunday, September 20

MS Connection | 23

MS CONNECTION IS A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY-WISCONSIN CHAPTER.

National MS Society-Wisconsin Chapter1120 James Drive, Ste. A, Hartland, WI 53029

262-369-4400 | 800-242-3358 TOLL FREE

wisMS.org@

n Editor: Amanda Gasper Krueger n Contributing Editor: Maureen Waslickin Graphic Design and Production:

Joan Hartin and Amy Malo

To comment or share a story idea, call 262-369-7173 or email [email protected]

Get ConnectedThe National Multiple Sclerosis Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS through a variety of resources and support options. For more information on topics such as being newly diagnosed, treatment options and employment issues, visit nationalMSsociety.org.

n Sign up to receive National MS Society emails at nationalMSsociety.org/signup.

n Join the MSconnection.org community, a place for people living with MS to learn, share and connect with others impacted by MS.

n Talk to an MS Navigator – experts in helping you find MS information and resources – by calling 800-344-4867, Option 2, 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.

Aurora Advanced Healthcare Milwaukee (Not currently accepting new patients)

Aurora Marinette Menominee Clinic Marinette, 715-735-7421

Aurora Medical Group MS Clinic** Green Bay, 920-288-8020

Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic Summit, 262-434-5000

Center for Neurological Disorders Milwaukee, 414-769-4040

Columbia St. Mary’s MS Clinic* Milwaukee, 414-291-1771

Dean St. Mary’s MS Clinic** Madison, 608-260-3425

Gundersen Lutheran MS Clinic** La Crosse, 608-775-9000

Marshfield Clinic MS Clinic** Marshfield, 715-387-5350

Neuroscience Group Neenah, 920-725-9373

ProHealth Care MS Clinic** Waukesha, 262-928-8668

UW Hospital and Clinics MS Clinic** Madison, 608-262-0546

MS Specialty Clinics in Wisconsin Quality MS care is offered at several clinics throughout Wisconsin. Additionally, some of these clinics have taken additional steps focusing on neurology, rehabilitation, mental health and/or comprehensive care specific to MS. Those clinics are named National Multiple Sclerosis Society Partners in MS Care*, including Centers for Comprehensive MS Care**.

Telelearning Events The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s free telelearning series provides information and guidance on current matters essential to living one’s best life with MS. Upcoming topics include:

Visit nationalMSsociety.org/telelearning or call 800-344-4867 to learn more.

• MARCH 12: MS and Employment – Support to Help You Find Employment• MARCH 17 AND 19: Managing MS Bladder and Bowel Symptoms• MARCH 26: MS and Employment – The Essential Guide to Flexible and Home-Based Jobs• MAY 19 AND 21: Sex Ed for Grownups – Intimacy in MS• JUNE 21 AND 23: Gender Differences in MS

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PAIDMADISON, WI

PERMIT NO. 1252

®

1120 James Drive Suite A Hartland, WI 53029

www.wisMS.orgToll Free 1-800-242-3358262-369-4400

A Publication of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Wisconsin Chapter

BE INSPIRED. GET CONNECTED. WALK MS.

Diagnosed with MS? Inspire others. Designate on your Walk MS registration form that you have MS and you’ll receive a free “I Walk with MS” or “I Roll with MS” T-shirt at the event. Wear it and show others with MS that they’re not alone.

REGISTER TODAY AND START FUNDRAISING. Visit walkMS.org, call 855-372-1331 or look inside for dates, locations and details.