60 join The Arc's Walk 'N Roll for Independence

Walk 'N Roll was led by Britta and Maya Thostrup,
Miss Teen Racine County and Little Miss Teen, and Rich Gerardo

The 5th annual Walk 'N Roll for Independence was held Saturday, with about 60 walkers and eight volunteers participating.

Walkers and rollers ranged in age from under 2 to 83 years old. The purpose of the walk is to raise funds for The Arc of Racine and also to bring about disability awareness. Signs with information and messages were posted along the 1.5-mile route, from Michigan and Goold to 6th and Main.

Richard Gerardo has joined the walk for all five years and brings in the highest pledges, raising more than $1,000 for The Arc. Sponsors for this year's walk include SC Johnson, The Eye Clinic of Racine, Community Care, InSinkerator, Educators Credit Union, Palmen Automotive Group, Mound Avenue Associates, Disability Rights Wisconsin and Brossmans's Meat Market and Catering. Individual sponsors were Mike and Alice Garoukian, Julie and Art Petersen, Faye Miller, Sandy and John Engel, Darlene Duncan, Dave Popoff, Gerry and Gary Lipor, and Diane Lange.

The Arc is an advocacy organization that works to improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which includes but is not limited to disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, cognitive disabilities and genetic disabilities such as Down syndrome. The organization is celebrating 55 years of service to the Racine community, and is a partner provider with United Way of Racine County.

The Arc of Racine provides information and referral, special education advocacy to parents of students with disabilities, education and training programs to parents and professionals and also works with others in the community to bring about positive change in policies and practices relating to disability services. For more information, contact, The Arc of Racine at 634-6303.