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The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday M arch 1, 2006 - 17 Award presentation kicks off Super Cities Walk for MS By Wilma Blokhuis OAKVILLE LIVING EDITOR The Oakville Super Cities Walk for Muscular Sclerosis (MS) has honoured one of its `marching mothers.' Theresa Toner-Burke, a Halton chapter of the MS Society volun teer, was given the Spirit Award at last week's Super Cities Walk rally at the Gondola Bar & Grill at Dominion Twin Rinks. Toner-Burke joined the organi zation 11 years ago after one of her daughters was diagnosed with MS. "I needed answers to help edu cate myself in what lay ahead for my daughter and what we as her family could do to help," she said of her decision to get involved with the MS Society. She immedi ately joined its board of directors and chaired its annual Carnation Campaign and later was the chap ter's public relations director. Having become involved with the Super Cities Walk in Burlington, she became the founding volunteer coordinator of Oakville's first Super Cities Walk in 2000. A goal of $53,000 was sur passed. "Those living with MS in their homes and community, should be encouraged to know they have a voice who speaks for them in this region and will continue to enjoy the benefits of the many programs available to them to help ensure a good quality of life and to know they will continue to work toward that elusive answer for a cure that will one day come," she said. Toner-Burke `retired' two years ago but continues to volunteer and participate in the annual Super Cities Walk. "I know this year's walk will be no different. It will be a great weekend, a resounding success and that we are once again going to surpass our goal and do great things," she said. " This communi ty of Oakville never fails to amaze me with their generosity of spirit, time and financial help." This year's goal is $200,000. "But it is you, the volunteers, .. .you don't just talk the talk, you walk the walk," said Toner-Burke. See Super page 19 LI ESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER SPIRIT AWARD: Theresa Toner-Burke, a long time volunteer with the Halton Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) "Society and founding coordinator of Oakville's Super Cities Walk for MS, receives the Spirit Award from Oakville Super Cities Walk for MS co-chairs Cathy Hoppener, left and Melanie Diong and Team MS Ambassador Jessica Bryant who lives with MS and heads Bryant's Brigade, the largest participating team with 61 members. Ultimate Tent Site winner has use of RV at Relay Continued from page 16 Landmine dinner Munn's United Church and Amnesty International host a Night of A Thousand Dinners tomorrow at 7 p.m,. at Munn's United Church, Dundas Street and Sixth Line. The dinner raises awareness and funds to clear landmines and help sur vivors of landmine accidents. The din ner has been moved to March to cele brate the signing of the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines. All funds raised will be sent to the Canadian Landmine Foundation. For more information see www.canadianlandmine.org Tickets cost $10 and $5 per child under 10. Gall Munn's at 905-257-8434. Team registration is encouraged online , at www.cancer.ca and teams are encouraged to create Web pages to solicit dona tions. According to a Canadian Cancer Society survey, cred it card online pledges aver age $50 each compared to $27 the old-fashioned way, said Ambrosie. Plus, it cuts down on the paperwork and the money is immediately deposited, she added. New this year will be Sleepy Hollow, a quiet area with 24 sites, better use of the renovated Appleby Arena as the focal point of the Relay. The Ultimate Tent Site contest, the use of a luxury recreational vehicle for the night, was won by Lori Murray of Oakville who reg istered a 12-member team. The contest was open to all teams that registered before or on Feb. 15, the night of the kick-off. Organizers also thanked volunteer and former co chair Barb Ferrone and Oakville Beaver photogra pher Barrie Erskine who created a DVD of last year's event. And Joan Gibb, president of the Oakville Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society, said fear of cancer, often referred to as `the big C' has turned to hope, thanks to research funded by fundraisers such as the Relay for Life. "To me, `the big C' means cure," said Gibb, adding "cancer is no long a disease to be feared but something that is treated like (any other) disease. "This gives me enthusi asm and the motivation to go on." Last year's top 10 teams were Scotiabank (Carol Benwell), $25,000; Rainbow Expressions (Sarah Baker), $16,838; Tacky Do's Shears Hair Salon (Shari Parrott), $16,562; Graham Senst, $12,450; Rosewater Spa (Liz Belford), $11,244; Galloping Geezers (Bev Ziegel), $11,109; Groovy Girls (Charlotte Riddell), $10,822; Shaynanigans (Ian McDonald), $8,674; TD Canada Trust (Michelle MacMahon), $7,046 and Curly Top Trotters (Ann Walters), $6,978. Sponsors presenting cheques were Scotiabank, $25,000, and luminary sponsor SCA Personal Care North America, $10,000, were thanked, as was The Oakville Beaver for publish ing countless promotional articles and AGF Funds for ongoing support. For more information about Relay for Life, call the Oakville Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society at 905-845-5231. SABRINA BYRNES I SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Gay Longo, a breast cancer survivor and honourary co chair of this year's fifth annual Relay for Life, accepts a $10,000 cheque from Diane MacLean of SCA Personal Care North America, luminary sponsor, at the Relay kick-off. LUMINARY SPONSOR: "Increasing the connection between teens and paren ts" an introduction A workshop fo r teens and parents PRESENTEDBY f u l f i l l MajTQh % 2 0 0 6 - R e g is t r a tio n ! a tj6 : 3 0 H U to n ) G a rd e n } |n n f * 2 7 7 S o u th S h e r id a n W a ^ ^ a i v i l l ^ The Oakville Beaver NAME OFYOUR SCHOOL, GROUP OR ORGANIZATION: Come and learn: 1. How to communicate using mirroring, validation and empathy 2. What to do wheri someone does not do what you want 3. What it means to "Be at Choice" 4. What the new possibilities are for the teen and parents SPACE IS LIM ITED Cost - $75 p er person plus $50 fo r each additional fa m ily m em ber A sk about applying the fe e towards our various services COLLECTOR' Send or drop off your collected coupons to: THE OAKVILLE BEAVER, 467 SPEERS RD. OAKVILLE ON L6K3S4 Please phone 416*922-3335 to register · w w w .se lfq ue st.ca No copies or reproductions dccepted