Our 2008 Walk Fest event started out with Ride With a Buddy … click here to read about it!

Opening Ceremony

The Ride With a Buddy participants drove into Jefferson County Fair Park carrying the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run used in New York City in 2002. The inscription on the torch was especially meaningful for those touched by life-limiting illness. It read:

Special Olympics
Salute to Hope, Honor and Courage
New York Torch Run
May 18, 2002
By Law Enforcement

The Torch was carried by a cancer survivor from Fort Atkinson, and her driver, a survivor of heart disease. As the survivors entered, they were greeted and saluted by members of the Bartolme Schwefel Marine Corps League Color Guard of Watertown, flanked by honor guards from area American Legions, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Emergency Management Service members, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.

The torch was then passed from survivors of all illnesses from communities throughout the area in the Survivor’s Lap. A 13-year-old, from Ixonia who is touched by diabetes passed it to a three-year-old (and his dad) who is touched by cystic fibrosis. The torch was then passed to a survivor from Jefferson who is touched by heart disease, then to a survivor from Beaver Dam who is touched by Alzheimer’s. A survivor from Jefferson who is touched by scleroderma recieved the torch next, then used it to light the Flame of Hope, which was our beacon throughout the event.

Candles of Hope

Aproximately 1,000 candles lined the track to remind all of the reasons why we were there.

Closing

It began to rain just before the closing ceremony, so we gathered around the Flame of Hope rather than taking the final lap. Pam Chickering of the Daily Jefferson County Union lead the group as we sang God Bless America, then the Flame of Hope was extinguished, bringing a close to Walk Fest 2008.

Totals:

• We raised $254,600 to help those in our community with life-limiting illnesses!
• In 10 years we have raised a grand total of $2,673,904!
• 58 teams equaling 1125 team members!

Thanks to Our Sponsors: 

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Special Thanks To:

• All our walkers, riders, survivors and volunteers!
• Capn’s Catering
• PremierBank
• Davis Duehr Dean
• Bartolme Schwefel Marine Corps League Color Guard of Watertown
• Paul Frank Florine Post #166 of Fort Atkinson
• VFW Post #3709 of Watertown
• American Legion Post #305 of Johnson Creek
• Lake Mills Legion Clarence Bean Warren George Post #67
• Jefferson Legion/VFW
• Jefferson Emergency Management Service members
• St. John the Baptist Boy Scout and Cub Scout Troop # 149 of Jefferson
• Boy Scout Troop #134 of Fort Atkinson
• Kay Sparling of Sparling Conservatory
• Tyson Prepared Foods
• Tan-A-Latte
• PremierBank
• Beyond Youth
• Sparling Conservatory School of Music, Dance and Theater
• Grace Notes of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jefferson