Westminster Hosts 15th Annual MS Walk

Hundreds of people from throughout the region participated in the MS Walk hosted by Westminster School April 26. They came in teams and as individuals to help raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, treatment and educational resources and to give hope to the more than 2.3 million people living with MS worldwide.
 

Among the many teams walking were the MS Kateers, the MS Melters, the volleyball team from Central Connecticut State University and Peg Leg Pete’s. Westminster faculty, staff and students also participated in the walk, and the school community raised more than $8,000.
 

Headmaster Bill Philip welcomed everyone to the event right before the ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. and thanked them for their participation. He also introduced Head Prefect Ryan Seymour, who thanked the sponsors for making the walk possible, and Shelby Gamble’15, who sang the national anthem.
 

More than 100 Westminster faculty, staff and students served as volunteers, helping with the day’s setup, operations and cleanup. This was the 15th year the school has hosted the event. The walk route began at the Jackson Hockey Rink and extended from the Westminster campus to Henry James Memorial School and back. There was also a shorter walk on campus.
 

Math teacher Jill Loveland, who coordinates the walk for Westminster, was helped this year by Sixth Form volunteer coordinators CC Lynch, Austin Pope and Ryan Seymour as well as 11 additional volunteer coordinators from the other forms. Seven team captains for the forms also signed up students to work and walk in the event and collected money. One form even held a bake sale.
 

“I assigned and kept track of all the volunteers,” said CC about her work coordinating the walk. “Bright and early on Sunday morning, we had students from all forms down at the rink, setting up registration, putting together decorations and guiding walkers to the parking lot. The MS Walk truly embodied the core values of Westminster, and it was an honor to be a part of something greater than the community up on the Hill.”
 

In his role as a volunteer coordinator, Austin gave direction to people about what to do, which he says turned out to be more difficult than he thought. “There’s so much going on that morning that it seems hard to keep everything running perfectly, but the volunteers were great and, even with the new route this year, we had a great walk,” he said.
 

Ryan, who was in his fourth year volunteering with the walk, said, “This year, my original volunteer level took a step up when I started to work even more closely with Mrs. Loveland and the MS Committee on the student board for the MS Walk. I have enjoyed every minute of it. I personally volunteer for my grandfather who has MS, and when there is any way I can raise awareness for this disease, I try to take that opportunity. I know MS is something that I cannot control that is why I put my time in volunteering and raising money for research because that is the only thing I can control.”
 

“We were delighted, once again, to have such enthusiastic leadership from our students,” said Jill. “The result was a smoothly run event that provided a wonderful community service.”