On Saturday, November 13, more than 50 people from all over the Valley joined together for one purpose: to raise money that will make living with Parkinson’s easier.

From Desert Ridge to Desert Mountain, Surprise and Superstion, families, children, singles and seniors walked a one-mile course through Terravita to bring the N. Scottsdale Movers and Shakers team fundraising total to more than $36,000 for 2021.

The outpouring of support from Terravita and Boulders residents, along with many others in the North Valley, placed the Movers and Shakers team first in Arizona and fifth in the nation among top fundraisers.

Terravita’s Team Founder and Co-captain Cathy Boss-Fessel was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm shown by the extended community.

“Our walk doubled in size from last year,” Cathy said, “My heart is overwhelmed by the support for the Parkinson's Foundation from all who attended. We care. We fight. We move – to beat Parkinson's!”

Team Co-captain and Boulders resident Jennifer Campbell added, “We were thrilled by the number of participants who read about the event in Terravita’s Exclusive Living and local newspapers. It was gratifying to see how effective publicity can be.”

Farmers Insurance Agent and team member Kori Moeller and her partner walked with their four children, ages six-and-a-half to 11. “We like to expose the kids to as much goodness and kindness in our world as possible, so we love to have them be present at fundraisers. The kids had a blast on the walk!”

Among the walkers were some with Parkinson’s eager to support the cause and connect to valuable resources to help improve their lives with the disease.

Desert Ridge-area resident Kristi Darnell, whose mother has PD, said, “We all came to walk as a family – my husband, our son and his girlfriend, my mom and her husband. This event was so important to all of us to support my mom. We met some wonderful people and made new friends.”

Kristi added, “My mom was very excited to learn about this event from the local newspaper. She wants to learn all she can about the disease. Mom was unaware of local support groups and many of the resources that the Parkinson’s Foundation offers. Please let me know about any volunteer opportunities in the future.”

Overall, the Moving Day Phoenix campaign – with 35 teams Valley-wide – raised more than $100,000 for the Parkinson’s Foundation. The Foundation helps fund research and provides extensive services for people living with PD, their families and caregivers to improve their quality of life.

Resources include newsletters and expert briefings on how to live better with the disease. Free “Aware in Care” kits give patients valuable tools to prepare for hospital visits by informing care teams about patient conditions and dangerous medication interactions. Trained professionals are available on a toll-free helpline to answer questions.

Other programs include local community resources, updates on research developments, free educational books, reports, a blog, in-person and online events and much more.

For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).