News

Challenge being given out to raise money for Annie's House

Scott Wagar

12/25/2012

A group of students from the Independent Living Center in Portland, N.D., are making an effort to raise money for Annie’s House and is challenging the country to participate in an exercise event they are calling Annie’s House Walking Challenge.

“The students from the Independent Living Center (ILC) have been part of the Annie’s House Project since the ground breaking last May. They were also part of the group that helped build Annie’s House in September,” said Mike Cerkowniak, a teacher at Independent Living Center, who is leading up the project for ILC. “They have been working on ways to complete items on Annie’s list.  

Ann Nicole Nelson, the only victim from North Dakota of the 911 attacks, and who Annie’s House is named for, made a list of goals she wanted accomplish. Ann’s number one item on her list was to be healthy and healthful and number 30 on her list was to walk, but also see the world firsthand.

“To work toward accomplishing these items on Ann’s wish list, the students and staff of the GST/Independent Living Center decided to offer a challenge to all the Friends of Annie’s House across the country to participate in a walking challenge as a fundraiser and a way to get healthier and have some fun,” Cerkowniak added. “The students from the ILC, who all have disabilities, wanted to volunteer as a class project to be part of bringing awareness and raise funds to support the new adaptive ski and other year-round adaptive sports resort located near Bottineau. They are working with The Friends of Annie’s House, a foundation set up to fund and meet the unique challenges of providing ordinary opportunities for adaptive physical activities. Finding opportunities for adaptive physical activities is very difficult and sometimes cost prohibitive for these individuals and their families.”

Cerkowniak stated the goal of the ILC students’ fundraiser is to raise awareness for programs available to children with special needs and wounded warriors at Annie’s House and obtain funding for equipment which will be need for these individuals at Annie’s House.

“There are approximately 13,000 children with disabilities and approximately 130,000 adults, including several hundred wounded warriors, with disabilities residing in the state of North Dakota,” Cerkowniak said, who also pointed out the money raised through the Annie’s House Walking Challenge will assist the people with special needs who go to Annie’s House. “We are inviting Friends of Annie’s House, as well as community members from across the country, to participate on this walk. The students are asking people to show their support by putting on a pedometer and walk the equivalent of 250 miles. Even more is even better. Individuals can walk where ever they live.”

To register for Annie’s House Walking Challenge, individuals can to go the Portland kids’ website at www.portlandkids.weebly.com/ and download the registration form where people Once there individuals will find a link to download a registration form and information individuals will need to participate in the walk.

Once the registration form is downloaded and filled out, send it to GST PO Box 308 Portland, ND 58274 with Attention to ILC Classroom.
The 250 miles the ILC students are asking you to walk originated from their travels to Annie’s House during the ground breaking ceremony.

“The Mash Pole at Annie’s House that was put up at the end of the building blitz in September, which lists the distance people traveled to get to Annie’s House,” Cerkowniak said. “It is 250 miles from Portland to Annie’s House.”

While on the Portland Kids’website, Cerkowniak is asking that you checkout the entire site and consider helping the ILC students in other ways.

“There are going to be a number of scholarships available for students with disabilities and a caregiver to travel to Annie’s House. More information on these will be on the website in the near future,” Cerkowniak said.

For more information on the Annie’s House Walking Challenge, call (701) 788-2004 and ask for Mike or Mary. Individuals can also email questions to ILCclassroom@gmail.com.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Dakota, along with St. Andrew’s Health Center, are the sponsors of the Annie’s House Walking Challenge.

“As The Official Sponsor of Recess, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is proud to support rural health care providers in their endeavors to be champions of healthy activity in their communities. The Rural Health Care Grant program is one way BCBSND promotes daily, physical activities as a break for North Dakotans of all ages. The grants will allow all ages to embrace more physical activity as well as highlight the concerns of increasing obesity rates in the state,” stated Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. “Many chronic conditions stem from being overweight. And it’s those same chronic conditions that create the majority of the cost to our health care system,” said Paul von Ebers, president and CEO of BCBSND. “These grants are intended to support changing our sedentary lifestyle, regardless of where you live in North Dakota or your age.
“BCBSND is a member-owned, not-for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. As North Dakota’s largest provider of health care coverage, BCBSND is taking BOLD steps to collaborate with doctors, hospitals, clinics and members to ensure affordable access to quality health care in the state. To learn more about BCBSND, visit www.BCBSND.com.”