WINONA LAKE – The annual Warsaw Let’s Move Together Arthritis Walk will be Sunday in the Winona Lake Park near the senior center. Five-year-old Katherine Alderfer will be honored and lead the walk. Alderfer is living with a form of juvenile arthritis called Juvenile Dermatomyositis. JDMS is an inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash on the eyelids, as well as additional complications such as lung and heart problems, muscle hardening and digestive issues. There will be a raffle with door prizes donated by local businesses, and refreshments. Courthouse Coffee will sell smoothies with part of the proceeds going to the Arthritis Foundation. The Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County will have a number of pets available for walking and for adoption at the event. Walkers can choose from a three-mile or one-mile route. Runners are welcome, but the event will not be timed. Day-of event details: – 1 p.m. Registration and check-in. – 1:45 p.m. Zumba warm up and walk begins. Enjoy refreshments, face-painting, Zumba warm up by Giverny and gift card raffle. – Dogs get arthritis, too, so four-legged friends are encouraged to participate. Each person who fundraises $100 or more will receive an official Arthritis Walk shirt. Walkers are encouraged to form fundraising teams and walk together in honor of someone they know who is affected by arthritis. To register before the event or for more information, go online to www.letsmovetogether.org or call 800-735-0096. Funds raised go to arthritis research, programs and services and patient advocacy efforts. May is National Arthritis Month. The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation's nationwide, signature fundraising event with more than 200 Arthritis Walks held across the country. Arthritis is more widespread than imagined, affecting nearly 50 million American adults and more than 300,000 children. The Arthritis Foundation is the only nationwide, nonprofit health organization helping people take greater control of arthritis by leading efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases -- the nation's most common cause of disability. The Arthritis Foundation is the largest non-governmental funder of arthritis research in the world. Since 1948, the Arthritis Foundation has provided $400 million to arthritis-related research through its nationally recognized peer-review research award program. For free information on improving health and limiting the impact of arthritis, contact the Arthritis Foundation at 800-283-7800 or www.arthritis.org
