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This past weekend, we hosted our 2nd annual (and my 8th pd event) in Peoria, Il. On Saturday morning, Brenda Tucker and Nancy Abraham (co-founders of PLWP.org) presented a seminar that even impressed a seasoned seminar goer with its message of hope. This symposium was presented by People Living With Parkinson's (PLWP.org) at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. our panel of medical experts included Dr. Rick Weber: Associate, an Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology at Northwestern University School of Medicine ; Director, Movement Disorders Center at Glenbrook/Evanston Hospitals; Director, Movement Disorders & Functional Neurosurgical Program at Glenbrook/Evanston Hospitals and the Medical Director of the Chicago Area Chapter American Parkinson's Disease Association and Dr. Paul Carvey whose credentials include: Professor of Neurological Sciences and Pharmacology as well as Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology. He is also the Director of the Neuropharmacology Research Laboratories and the Rush Pharmacology Analytical Laboratory Services. This was the third in a series of PLWP's "Patient as Provider" series. During the afternoon, we held a "parkie picnic" that everyone enjoyed. Then on Sunday, we went to downtown Peoria, to a lovely place on the riverfront called Le Vieux Carre-a beautiful century old building with wrought iron balconies reminiscent of New Orleans French Quarter. Here, everyone pitched in to decorate with black & red balloons and set up registration, raffle, welcome, and food tables. The music began at 10:30 with the wonderfully entertaining Ken Carlysle playing guitar and fiddle and doing alot of tunes that were his own compositions. as people checked out the fabulous raffle prizes (6 baskets each worth $500+ and a pair of boxing gloves autographed by Mohammed Ali), the food was ready to enjoy. At noon, speeches were given by: Gina Morss (local TV personality), Michael Bryant (CEO of Methodist Medical Center), David Leitch (State Representative from Illinois) and from Carol Walton (Executive Director of the Parkinson Alliance and sponsors of the Shake, Rattle and Roll event). The walk commenced at 12:45 to the bluegrass sounds of Applegate & Co.-a great way to kick off the easy roll or stroll along the Peoria Riverfront. What a sight...200+ people all walking to find a cure! After the walk, the food was all ready and it was wonderful (even more so because almost all of it was donated)! After time for everyone to get enough to eat, door prizes and raffle prizes were drawn and we were treated to a jazz performance by local jazz legends: Steve Degenford, Dave Parkinson, John Miller, Mike Nellis and with vocals by Beverly Barnes and her lovely daughter Ashley. The sound was provided by Illinois Concert Sound. We think that we will come close or even exceed $25,000, of which two-thirds will go to the Parkinson Alliance where it will be matched dollar for dollar by the Tuchman Foundation to cover administrative expenses thereby insuring that 100% of the 2/3 earmarked for the Parkinson Alliance will go directly to research. The other one-third of our profits will be equally divided between the PLWP organization (who deal with with day-to day life problems of people with parkinson's) and our local IPMR-Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. IPMR will use the funds to help purchase a "Gait-Analasis Carpet" which is a state of the art diagnostic tool that wil be used in the community to help people with PD and other movement disorders. I'd like to thank everyone who helped out and participated in this event-thank you from the bottom of my heart!! -- Joan E. Blessington Snyder 51/13 http://www.pwnkle.com/jes/jes_web/index.htm <[log in to unmask]> "Hang tough...........no way through it but to do it." Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn