Behind-the-scenes

It's a behind-the-desk and on-the-phone kind of day today as we work on press releases, networking and other 'operational'  things necessary to move our efforts forward. We are getting a new workstation/desk today and that means messy office time while we re-organize.



I strongly suggested that our Walker get out on the trail for awhile, so he left for the Towpath and all is well.



Our official Feet of Memory launch date is Wednesday, October 24 from 5-7 p.m. at the Jackson Library in Canton, Ohio. YOU are invited....and bring a friend!!! Details coming soon.

Feet of Memory supports research, education and services of organizations such as the Alzheimer's Association that help bring an end to Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Geoffrey Darling will walk 2,400 miles from Key West to Ft. Kent Maine starting 17 March 2013 to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer's Association.  This walk honors his mother Pat who had AD for 24 years before passing on in March 2012.

Walking 30 miles in training

By Geoffrey

Last week we celebrated walking 24 miles - who's "we" we always ask?  - Yesterday it was the 30 miles at the first attempt, but not as easy as it sounds. Since the first day's walk, on March 17 next year, will be 30 miles it's worth knowing if we can get over that first hurdle. On the 2400 mile walk from Key West to the top of Maine (Fort Kent) there will be six more 30-mile walks and two of 31, one of 32 and one of 35 ( on the pen-penultimate day, in Maine.  So know that I can do it is a tremendous boost; also knowing I defeat the "oh stuff it that's enough" demons gives great confidence, cos those naughty little ids were there, especially with 9 miles to go when I arrived back where I'd left the car - "just get in and drive back home - you can do the rest on the rubberised track at Jackson Park" - I thought I had sent them packing a few miles up the towpath. They'd been urging me to call it quits at the car but I bargained that "if walking 30 miles would see a cure for Alzheimer's Disease would I do it?" - the demon tempters disappeared. They were not the only wildlife on the towpath - it was fine day already at 7.30am when I set off for the first 15.5 mile leg and starling were flocking ominously - being harbingers of a hard winter with their early autumn gathering?  Leaves were falling regularly so it was not a surprise to see a large red one drop ten feet in front of me, until I realised it was a cardinal, who posed long enough for a photo but not long enough for the camera to focus. I would rather not post that pic- the blurry result makes the St Louis mascot look like a leaf.
A couple on bikes told me they had cycled 50 miles in a day of Cancer Research and I gave them a card to publicise Feet of Memory - they saw me later and commented on how quickly I'd travelled 10 miles
I figured if I walked north to two miles past the Stark County boundary and then south to the 13 mile mark before returning to the car I'd have traversed 15 miles twice= 30 -

So this was my turning round point at Lock 3 just north of Clinton.
Butterflies abounded, more precursors, heralds of the coming cold and almost back at the Stark boundary a stag dashed across the towpath about ten yards in front of me, closely pursued by two or maybe three doe, who stopped when they saw me and ran back into the thick undergrowth. The stag was off in the other direction, obviously an unwilling suitor glad to put a human between him and his anxious females.
Rose and our youngest grandson Peyton met me at Canal Fulton, after 15.5 miles and we picnicked for 40 minutes between I set off for the next 14.5 miles - the first half was cut out in 4 hours 20 mins - not rapid but steady enough but the second half took 4 hours 40 minutes. The first half mile or more after lunch was slow, it was like getting a large train up to speed and I was not at full (3.5-3.8 mph) pace for about a mile. I really slowed in the mid-20 miles and stopped at Ernie's bike shop to hand in sunglases found on the path. This large hawk stopped me too

and asked for help - I told him I'd look for the number to ring on one of the Stark County notices and kept on going  to the turnaround (13-mile) mark.
When I got back a man in a motorised wheelchair was ringing for help and I walked on content that it was being taken care of. Great the people of all mobilities can use the towpath, and even greater that the call for help for the stricken hawk should come from man with less than 100% mobility himself.

Tappan Lake

It's off to Tappan Lake, Ohio, today to relax and enjoy the company of theatre friends...and perhaps get in a good walk, too.

Enjoy your weekend!

Feet of Memory is dedicated to raising funds and awareness to help end Alzheimer's disease.

Extreme walks are the ultimate means by which we meet our goal. Geoffrey Darling will walk 2,400 miles on U.S. Rt 1, the historic highway from Key West, Florida to Ft. Kent, Maine beginning 17 March 2013 and ending Independence Day. Help us make this walk successful and help bring and end to Alzheimer's Disease by supporting the research, education and support services of the Alzheimer's Association. www.alz.org

Watch this blog for events and opportunities to honor your loved ones through the

Board of Remembrance.







Rainy Days and Fridays

The rains they be a-comin' soon, but that's OK. It's nice and warm and a rain poncho will be quite enough to cover up our Walker. He's out for a 3-hour + trek on the Towpath today as the training continues.

If you have any great fund and awareness-raising ideas and would share them , we would love to hear them. We have a good many ideas and preliminary plans waiting for Board approval tomorrow, but we know many heads are better than one or two when it comes to ideas. If your organization has made lots of money via fundraisers, share how, please.....

I promised a wish list....here are some of the biggest needs that will enable us to help meet the needs for research, education and support services of the Alzheimer's Association.www.alz.org

WISH LIST for Feet of Memory

Here are FOUR ITEMS we need to help the extreme walk from Key West florida to Ft Kent Maine in 2013 be a success. The more that is donated to Feet of Memory, the more funds we send to the Alzheimer's Association to help fund research, education, and support services.

A good Class B RV or camper van....borrow, gift or purchase
Gasoline gift cards
Vouchers, redeemable points or gift cards for hotels such as Choice Hotels
Major chain restaurant gift cards

Our status with the IRS will soon allow us to send you a tax-deductible receipt! So wait to send your donation or gift if you want that tax-deduction. Our website is under construction, and the address and donation information will soon be posted. This is a work-in-progress and we appreciate your patience.

Board on a Mission

Nobody likes meetings...unless they are the exciting planning meetings to get Feet of Memory up and walking from Key West Florida to Ft. Kent Maine! Saturday, the Board meets to plan and organize all those details that make a project successful.

On the community fundraising side of the drawing board are several ideas including theatrical performances, a Winter Wonderland Walkathon and Festival, super-Saturday garage and bake sales, and lots more. We even have special hand-crafted jewelry and products you can wear with pride and to show support.

Statistically, Alzheimer's Disease is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. However, few diseases span as many years with such devastating tolls to the individual, their family, and friends. Geoffrey's mother Pat had A.D. for 24 years with progressively deteriorating memory and physical losses. In her honor, and to help end, yes, END, this dreadful disease, Geoffrey will do his extreme walk of the 2,400 miles of U.S. Route 1, the historic highway. Along the way, he will ask the community to come out and walk with him, to sponsor special events which may include one of his solo theatrical performances. Geoffrey is a trained and highly skillful international stage actor with a long list of theatrical credits. You will soon be able to view a snippet performance on the website that is currently under construction.

The Alzheimer's Association offers education, research and support services for those touched by A.D. and Feet of Memory's mission is to raise money and awareness toward this work.

We need volunteers and resources to make it happen. We need you and soon we will post a new website with details on the Feet of Memory organization and its work and how you can help us make a major difference in research, education and support to end Alzheimer's Disease.

And moving right along....

As we begin to set up our board for our non-for-profit organization that will raise funds to support Alzheimer's Disease research, education and services, we have two board members signed up --and received our first donation toward the walk!

There is much to be done...fundraising, continuation of physical training toward the extreme walk from Key West Florida to Ft. Kent Maine, media coverage, and volunteers to make it happen.

Here are some of the ways you can help:
Donations of gift cards to national chain restaurants, gasoline gift cards, hotel rooms along the route, and the biggest - loan of a small RV or camper van as our support vehicle AND point-to-point volunteer drivers. I'll repeat these as we gain more readership. If YOU can help, please respond. All cash donations will be tax-deductible when the non-profit status is finalized.

A website will soon be prepared to more fully outline the project and how you can help make possible this 2,400 mile extreme walk to help end Alzheimer's Disease.

Put One Foot in Front of the Other

Follow us on a 2,400 mile journey from Key West to Maine to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's research and support. 

This "feet for memory" honors Geoffrey Darling's mother and family who suffered the effects of Alzheimer's Disease for 24 years. Each 100 miles equals every year.  

The trek begins with the launching of this blog  May 1, 2012 and the walk starting in Key West on March 17, 2013. It sounds a long way off, but time does fly!

Follow along our journey ... and please, lend your support.