ABOUT JIM |
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Hello,
My name is Jim Schiwal. Starting 8 Feb 2007, I will be departing on a 6 month
(Feb-July) hike of the Appalachian Trail as a fund raiser to support the
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation. My inspiration is a young girl, Ms.
Alexys Grubb, from Douglas County, Georgia where I live. This 6 year old child,
has been diagnosed with CdLS and is the real focus of my fundraising hike. I
have met with Alley and her mother
Jessica
and with the
encouragement of Ms. Rhonda Case, Director of the local Woodie Fite Senior
Center, I will start my Northbound AT hike 8 February with a planned completion
late July or early August. My hike will start at the
Amicalola Falls State Park from which I will hike to the actual start of the
Appalachian Trail on Springer Mountain in North Georgia some 8 miles farther up
the trail. My goal is to complete my hike mid-July at the terminus of the
Appalachian Trail in Baxter State Park's Katahdin in Maine.
Local newspapers have carried the story which has helped our pre-hike pledge
drive. Penny per mile pledges for the 2,174 mile route have already garnered
more than $1,000 for the CdLS Foundation. Mr. Arthur Moore, a local computer
teacher and specialist, has donated his time to activate this web site tracking
pledge and hiking progress for donors interested in following a push to our
final goal. I will continue to speak at local churches, civic organizations,
and community gatherings before departing to raise awareness of this dreaded
disease and to garner additional funds to help support its elimination.
We welcome your support, suggestions and assistance in the awareness and
dissemination portion of our fund drive. Links to the CdLS Foundation web site
to
pledge
or
view latest information on this disease have already been established. If
you choose to pledge on the CdLS Foundation web site, please identify your
donation as a pledge for “The Walk for Alley.”
Again, we welcome any assistance or donor support you can provide to help
eliminate this disease.
Regards,
Jim Schiwal
8803 Clear Creek Court
Douglasville, GA 30135-1658
770-489-0849