Tomorrow's Hope walk this weekend

By Steve Sharp of the Daily Times staff
Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:38 PM CDT

JEFFERSON - Tomorrow's Hope organizers are excited about their annual Walk Fest that is coming up this weekend and participants should be ready to have a very good time while generating considerable money to battle life-limiting illnesses on the local level.

Flooding in Jefferson County earlier this summer forced event planners to change the date of the event to this weekend and Walk Fest organizer Barb Endl said Wednesday morning all systems are go for the event to take place at the Jefferson County Fair Park beginning Friday evening.

“Things are going well,” Endl said of event preparations. “The biggest change this year is that the weather is different - we're not in the middle of June, with the longest day of the year, and now we even have a touch of fall in the air. Our ‘Ride With a Buddy' motorcycle ride is Friday evening and that isn't taking off until 6:15 p.m., so by the time they get done it's starting to get dark already.”

Endl called the “Ride With a Buddy” a “really neat event,” in which people affected by life-limiting illnesses, as well as their family, are invited to ride with drivers of motorcycles and classic/antique cars on a leisurely trip through Jefferson County. Just before all the vehicles come back to the fair park, there will be a survivor of serious illness on one of the bikes who will bring the Flame of Hope onto the fair park grounds.

“When the cycles come in, they do a lap of the track we've created and just before they get there, there will be honor guards comprised of people from the area who will stand at attention in their dress uniforms to pay tribute,” Endl said. “The bikes will do a lap around the track and the Flame of Hope will be passed among survivors of life-limiting illnesses of all area communities, all people and all illnesses.”

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A 9-foot torch will then be lit and will serve as a beacon throughout the event, which is sponsored by J&L Tire and St. Vincent DePaul.

“This is the first time we've had this large torch,” Endl said, adding that there will be a flyover done by Dr. Stan Marcus and another aviator in their T-6 airplanes to kick off the event.

Endl said it was a challenge to adjust to the new dates for the Walk Fest this year after the flooding forced its rescheduling.

“First, we looked at the scheduled August activities in the area communities - Watertown's Riverfest and Relay For Life, Whitewater's Relay For Life, Fort's Lions Club Corn Roast, St. Joe's Festival and Rhythm on the River, Lake Mills' Beach Bash and more,” she said. “Our main goal was to respect and not compete or interfere with any of the neighboring community fund-raisers or events previously scheduled.”

She said, after looking at the list, organizers felt this weekend was their best option, adding the event's location is also changed this year.

“Because some of the tents we normally use from area organizations were previously booked for Aug. 22 and 23, we needed to look at options other than Jefferson High School,” Endl said. “The Jefferson County Fair Park's location and accommodations seem to be a perfect fit. We are excited about the new site and look forward to working with the fair park staff to make it a unique and memorable event.”

Tomorrow's Hope operates, in part, on a financial “multiplier effect,” Endl said.

“This basically is an equation that shows you the impact your dollars have when invested locally,” she said. “An example would be when money is used by a health care provider to either purchase supplies from a local vendor or pay for an employee's salary, those dollars are used to buy more supplies from another local vendor or to purchase groceries, gas, supplies from the hardware store, clothing or used for entertainment. No matter how it is used, it's used locally. This essentially causes your money to multiply.”

She said the Department of Economic Development for Jefferson County has told her the equation for the economic multiplier effect for Jefferson County and southeastern Wisconsin is: in southeastern Wisconsin every $1 creates $1.82.

“So if you look at the $2,419,304 granted locally by Tomorrow's Hope in our last 10 years, it would essentially look like in southeastern Wisconsin $2,419,304 times $1.82 equals $4,403,133.

“Many charitable organizations choose to raise money locally and spend money nationally,” Endl said. “Tomorrow's Hope dollars are invested locally. Your dollars, through Tomorrow's Hope are a ‘direct deposit' into your health care service area which is between Milwaukee and Madison. Dollars are granted to health care recipients who provide research, education and services for the people of southeastern Wisconsin.”

Endl acknowledged it's been a difficult year weather-wise in the area, but she hopes many people will come out to enjoy the Walk Fest.

“It's been a tough year with the floods and now Tyson has let some people go, and we just really hope a lot of people come out and join us - just to sit and relax,” she said. “We've taken some tough hits but we have a lot of blessings. We've got each other and we are working on better health care for all - so we have the best health care right here and we keep the dollars local, in southeastern Wisconsin.”

There is still time to participate in the motorcycle/classic car ride on Friday evening. To do so, call (920) 674-8967 to make reservations. Those interested may also show up the evening of the event and if there is still room, they may ride along. The ride departs the fair park at 6:15 p.m.

For more details on the event, visit www.tomorrowshope.org.