Thank You for Taking GREAT STRIDES for CF! Throughout the weekend of May 21-22, 2005, tens of thousands of volunteers and walkers gathered at hundred of sites nationwide to be part of GREAT STRIDES: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis. This premier CF Foundation event rallied all of us toward a common goal: to help find a cure for CF. Some of you braved the cold and wind to be there. Others prepared with layers of suntan lotion. Barbeques were set up for post-walk celebrations. In Clarendon Hills, Ill., a street was closed for a block party that would help raise additional funds after the walk. All of your hard work culminated into a successful GREAT STRIDES weekend! With money still to be counted—GREAT STRIDES 2005 is nearly 9 percent ahead of last year! For months, you participated in letter-writing campaigns, “Jeans for Genes” days and raffles. Your community auto shops, nail salons and restaurants opened their doors to help and donate to our cause. We had one team take over as servers at a local pizza parlor. Another organized a happy hour at a nearby pub. All are members of TEAM CF, working to raise money for vital CF research and specialized care. A special thanks goes out to our national sponsors, American Airlines® and Solvay Pharmaceuticals for their continued dedication. American Airlines, Outstanding Corporate Partner of the CF Foundation, has generously donated round-trip airline tickets that will be awarded to the top fund-raisers in each CF Foundation-designated market. Such national corporate teams as Bank of America, Hill-Rom and Airgas lent their support in many local markets across the country. A big congratulations and thank you goes out to all the walkers, volunteers and sponsors who contributed to this fabulous weekend and the GREAT STRIDES effort. You are helping to add tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF. Posted 05/23/05 | 
