Great Growth for GREAT STRIDES Lafayette

July 1, 2009

Whether it’s jazz music or Mardi Gras, Creole dinners or Cajun feasts, Louisianans know how to bring people together and that’s exactly what the Louisiana Chapter -- Baton Rouge Office accomplished at its annual GREAT STRIDES walk.  Bringing together more than 300 volunteers and friends in Lafayette, the group raised more than $56,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 

In its 12th year, the walk doubled in size, from near 150 walkers last year to over 300 in 2009.  CF Foundation special events director Anna-Kate Casanova says new volunteers and expanded outreach helped spark the increase.

More than 300 friends of the CF Foundation came out to support GREAT STRIDES in Lafayette, La., this year.

“We welcomed some wonderful new families to the CF Foundation this year, and their teams immediately hit the ground running,” says Casanova.  “The Lafayette community understands the importance of research and of finding a cure for CF.”

On May 30, Lafayette’s Girard Park was packed with hundreds of enthusiastic CF Foundation supporters.  The Acadiana Professional Photography Guild Team was out in full force and documented the walk with over 900 photos.  An artist from MLR Magic donated his time to transform balloons into any shape children could imagine. 

For the Domingue family, GREAT STRIDES is a time to come together, support the search for a cure and share excitement for the CF treatments in development. 

“Through GREAT STRIDES, we are one step, one embrace and one breath closer to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis,” says Katherine Domingue, whose daughters Elyse and Alaina have CF and team leader of the Domingue Duo.  “Our faith in a cure for our daughters and all those with CF is strengthened every year.” 

Special Recognition

The Louisiana Chapter -- Baton Rouge Office celebrates its top fundraising team, Team Singleton, which raised $14,000 in just five months.  Team Bella’s Believers was a stand-out team, doubling its team total since 2008. 

The Baton Rouge Office offers a thousand thanks to the walk committee and volunteers for their time, dedication and energy donated to this event.

Click here to view Flickr slideshow.