Light the Night event ready for kickoff

WASILLA -- It's one of the last charity walks of the season, and organizers are hoping Valley residents top last year's remarkable first-time turnout of 150.

The second-annual Light the Night Walk and associated Kathleen Walker-Williams and Logan J. Marre Memorial Blood and Bone Marrow Registry Drive are set to kick off Sept. 10 at the Garden of Reflection, at the east end of Wasilla's Iditapark.

It'll be a busy evening at the park, as a dedication ceremony will begin at the Garden of Reflection at 6:30 the same evening. Light the Night Walk packet drop-offs and registration will begin at 6 p.m., and the walk will start at 7 p.m.

The walk is hosted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and money raised will fund research and patient aid, such as financial aid for medicine, doctor bills and transportation for Alaska patients.

Walk participants are encouraged to solicit donations from friends and family to raise money for the event. Anyone is invited to participate in the event at no charge, although donations are accepted. Teams may register online at lightthenight.org. Participants who raise more than $100 will be eligible for prizes and incentives.

The event is about more than a charity walk, however. A large component of the event is the bone-marrow drive, which will take place from 1-8 p.m. on the day of the walk. The Blood Bank of Alaska will be on site, accepting blood donations and registering people for the bone-marrow drive.

For patients with leukemia and lymphoma, blood and bone-marrow donors can be vital to the success of treatment. Cancer and leukemia patient treatment often requires blood transfusions and a significant amount of blood required in Alaska hospitals is used for this purpose.

The bone-marrow drive is of particular concern to event organizer Kelly Marre, who lost her 9-year-old son, Logan, to acute lymphocytic leukemia in 1998.

"None of us were a match for Logan," Marre said. "There were no matches on the national registry either."

During last year's walk, 40 people were registered with the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, and 47 people donated blood. Marre said people who may not be eligible to donate blood may still get on the registry -- call the program at 1-800-654-1247. People interested in getting on the registry may call Marre at 373-1528 for appointments.

Those who donate blood at the walk will also give an additional small vial of blood for a marrow sample.

It's a quick process that will register a person on a national bone-marrow registry, a process that generally costs $65. During the event, however, the Blood Bank of Alaska will cover all costs associated with registering donors.

Following the walk, a silent auction will be held at Iditapark. Several prizes have been donated by area businesses for the auction, including a weekend stay for two at an inn at Tern Lake in Moose Pass, valued at $270. Other auction items include a gift certificate for a limousine ride with Silver Linings, a registration fee for participation in the Mat-Su Youth Hockey Association and punch cards from local coffee shops.

In addition to the auction items, donations will be accepted at the event, and several area businesses are participating in a window-balloon donation program. For a minimum donation of $1, people may purchase a paper cutout of balloons at Wasilla's City Hall, Mat-Su Cinema, KMBQ Valley Radio, Valley Chiropractic and at the Wasilla and Palmer Curves locations.

Because of limited parking in the Iditapark area, MASCOT bus service has offered to transport walkers from a nearby parking lot. Participants are invited to park in the Carrs Mall parking lot, near MTA's offices, and MASCOT will provide rides to the event at 5:45, 6:05 and 6:25 p.m. They'll make return trips at 8:15, 8:40 and 9:00 p.m.

For more information about the event, contact Marre at 373-1582.

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.