Tenth Annual MS Walk Takes Place at Westminster

Hundreds of walkers turned out for the Travelers MS Walk hosted by Westminster School on April 18, including teams from Peg Leg Pete’s MS Walk Team, St. Mary’s School, MS Kater, The Ethel Walker School, Avon Old Farms School and Westminster School.

Following registration at the Jackson Hockey Rink beginning at 8:30 a.m., the walkers gathered outside of the rink to hear brief remarks by Headmaster Graham Cole, who welcomed everyone to Westminster; First Selectman Mary Glassman, who thanked the walkers for supporting efforts to find a cure for multiple sclerosis; and Head Prefect Cris Gomez, who provided some facts about multiple sclerosis. Sixth Former Tiffany Liu then sang the national anthem and local exercise enthusiast Mary Root led everyone in an opening stretch. The walk kicked off with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m.

This is the 10th year Westminster has hosted the walk and provided faculty, staff and student volunteers to help out with the day’s set-up, operations and clean-up. Tyler Mink ’11 attended committee planning meetings and served as volunteer coordinator, and Xavier Fowler ’10 helped out with volunteer arrangements. Captains for the form teams included Cris Gomez and Will Smith for the Sixth Form; Matt Leach and Kevin Hope for the Fifth Form; Meaghan O’Herron and Will Stevens for the Fourth Form; and Ronald Yeung and Asante Asiedu for the Third Form. Members of SON managed two rest tops and volunteers from the Ethel Walker School managed another one. A faculty band that includes Dan Aber, Scott Reeves, Michael Cervas and Peter Newman entertained the walkers during lunch back at the Jackson Hockey Rink.

“We had a wonderful group of walkers and great weather,” said faculty member Jill Loveland who coordinates the walk’s arrangements at Westminster School. “People were there to support a very worthy cause.” Throughout the morning NBC, Channel 30 produced live broadcasts of the event.