Friend Dwight Jones has created a great fundraising event for Parkinson’s Disease research. Let’s support the effort at both Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle and Dock Street Marina in Tacoma. –KH
SEATTLE – June 11, 2014 – We’re all familiar with raise the paddle. It’s that moment at an auction or fundraiser event when you’re asked to dig deep, open your wallet and make a monetary donation directly towards the non-profit hosting the event. However on July 26, raise your paddle will mean something entirely different. At the inaugural Paddle for Parkinson’s regional event, organizers are inviting all paddlers and want-to-be paddlers to come out and raise their paddles and dip them into the water for a 4-mile race or a 1-mile fun paddle to raise awareness for Parkinson disease (PD). Event organizers hope the fun day on the water will raise $10,000 to benefit the Washington Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA). 
Paddle for Parkinson’s will take place simultaneously at Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle and Dock Street Marina in Tacoma. It’s open to all human-powered watercraft. Kayaks will be available for rent at both locations. Rather than an entry fee for the event, participating paddlers are asked to donate and all donations are tax deductible. The suggested donation is $40 but greater amounts will of course be gladly and gratefully accepted. Those who register or donate will receive a hot dog BBQ lunch, a Paddle for Parkinson’s visor and the opportunity to win prizes and great swag.
Not a paddler? Not a problem. You can still donate— $25 gets you a super cool visor that you can sport around town to share your support for Parkinson’s awareness and research. A $25 donation also gives you lunch the day of the event so that you can watch the races, join in on the festivities and cheer on your friends.
“Donate what you can,” says Dwight Jones, general manager at Elliott Bay Marina and event creator. “The main thing is to come out, have a great day on the water and raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s. My family, like many, has been touched by the disease so I know first-hand how devastating it can be. I want to find a cure and invite all local paddlers to help.”
The courses
In Seattle, paddlers in the 4-mile race will start from the breakwater at Elliott Bay Marina, paddle along Myrtle Edwards Park to a buoy near Pier 70 and back. It’s a fabulously scenic course and gives paddlers a unique view of Echo, the new sculpture at the Olympic Sculpture Park. The 1-mile course circumnavigates the breakwater at the marina.
In Tacoma, paddlers start at Dock Street Marina and head along the Foss Waterway. The 4-milers will paddle to a buoy off Ruston Way and back and the 1-milers will paddle to the mouth of the Foss Waterway and back.
Prizes will be given to the top three finishers in each category, to both SUP-ers and Yakkers, and men and women, as well as the top three donors, at each location. Courses are weather dependent and subject to change. For more information, to register or donate, please visit: http://www.paddle4pd.com/
The beneficiary
Paddle for Parkinson’s benefits the Washington Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA). The APDA is the only Parkinson’s organization that raises funds for both patient care and research. Funds will go to the Washington State Parkinson Disease Registry. The Parkinson Disease Registry makes PD research happen faster by connecting people with PD to the research community. Approved researchers are able to recruit for trials more quickly and efficiently. There is still much to learn about PD. Continued research is essential to a better understanding of disease progression, possible therapies, and an eventual cure.
