Page 11 - WL-Winter-Magazine-2023

It’s About HELPING OTHERS

Hiking with Heart

Chapter 864 Clarkston, Michigan

A
beautiful day of

hiking through
the woods far sur-
passed the chapter’s fund-

raising goals for a local
charity.

Chapter 864 Clarkston, Michi-
gan, held its annual LucaStrong
Hike/Walk for Parkinson’s in
June at the Holly Recreation Area
in Holly, Michigan. The event was
followed by an afterparty at River
Rock Bar & Grill. Overall, more
than 100 walkers attended the
hike/walk, collectively raising up-
ward of $20,000 for the Michigan
Parkinson Foundation.
Back in 2018, Chapter 864
formed LucaStrong to hold these
walks and euchre tournaments.
Their goal was to raise funds for abilities and people with strollers
the foundation’s exercise pro- to participate, so they offered both
gram, which is crucial to helping options this year. It was extra spe-
alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms. cial because Jim and Lisa Lucas’s
Its title originates from chapter first grandchild, Frankie, attended
member Lisa Lucas’s husband, wearing a LucaStrong onesie.
Jim Lucas, who has had Parkin- Lisa joined Chapter 864 about
son’s for 19 years and has found five years ago, following a Moth-
hiking to be helpful. To date, the er’s Day spa event they invited her
LucaStrong Hike/Walk has raised to when she was going through
more than $65,000 for the foun- breast cancer. Shortly after, chap-
dation. ter leader Carrie Wozniak reached
“The Lucas family does so out to Lisa to talk about the chap-
much to give back in our com- ter’s hopes to plan something to
munity that we wanted to carry on benefit Parkinson’s, and it grew
that spirit and give back in their from there.
honor,” says Carlene Reynolds, “It’s a great group of people
Chapter 864 secretary and event trainer, Adhi Dasqui. Last year, a who are making a difference,”
organizer. storm flooded the route, so they Lisa says. “It means everything.
LucaStrong started as a 3.5-mile pivoted to a 2-mile walk on pave- It’s very heartwarming. Hope-
hike through the woods, the same ment. The silver lining was that it fully, together we can make lives
course that Jim takes with his allowed those of different physical better.”

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