FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: County Exec ‘Walks’ Through Fall Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MaryEllen Odell
Putnam County Executive
(845) 808-1001
October 24, 2013
County Exec ‘Walks’ Through Fall Weekend
Putnam weather could not have been more cooperative and the turnout could not have been better at several fundraising and awareness walks held over the weekend.
County Executive MaryEllen Odell stopped by to encourage and thank walkers participating in the Saturday, Oct. 19th Walk for a Cure for Breast Cancer sponsored by Healy’s Restaurant in Kent.
“I’m always amazed at the great, generous spirit of so many residents who give up their weekend time to raise money for so many important causes,” Odell said. “No one can say Putnam doesn’t care. We do and the sheer numbers of people out walking for their causes this weekend proves it.”
On Sunday, Odell attended two walks. She met the Office for the Aging Senior Helpers team who held their annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. More than 300 walkers on 37 teams helped to surpass the goal of $37,800. So far, the walk has raised $38,951. Top team fundraisers for that walk were the Frogs Legs who raised almost $5,000.
Odell also was present at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk on Sunday where the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program team walked to honor Matt Oliver. Their goal, according to team member Art Hanley, was to raise $1500 and by day’s end they tallied a whopping $3610 and were ranked #2 for funds raised.
Hanley recounted some unsettling facts concerning suicides and veterans in this country and said that was why he chose to walk in Sunday’s event.
“We lose 22 veterans to suicide every day. That’s one death every 65 minutes,” Hanley said. “Someone commits suicide every 15 minutes in this country. That means 96 people a day die and 22 of them are veterans. It’s a real tragedy.”
