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			 The short trail walk will create unity and awareness to honor all 
			who are suffering from, and have suffered, the devastating effects 
			of a brain tumor. All activities will take place at the northern 
			pavilion (Chautauqua Area) from 10 am to 4 pm. The purpose of the 
			Nature Walk is to raise funds and awareness for brain tumor 
			research. The goal of the event is to raise $25,000 for the National 
			Brain Tumor Society. The event will start with a quarter mile nature 
			walk at 11am in memory of Carol McFeeters Thompson. Activities will 
			include lunch, live music from Nicotine Poet, auctions, drawings, 
			local vendors and a bounce house for kids. Last year’s event had 
			several teams from central Illinois. 
 Organizer Lauren Thompson Johnson started the nature walk fundraiser 
			in 2016 in honor of her mother Carol Thompson, who died in 2015 from 
			glioblastoma malforma (GBM), the most aggressive and deadliest form 
			of all brain tumors. It was a natural fit to have it at Weldon 
			Springs, where Carol Thompson spent three decades bring nature and 
			education in the same setting, first as a volunteer then employed as 
			Weldon Spring’s first park interpreter.
 
			
			  
			
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Her achievements include getting the one room Union Schoolhouse relocated to 
Weldon Springs, the Take Pride in America Award, presented by President of the 
United States of America, and a “Those Who Excel” community volunteer award. 
Many local residents experienced as schoolchildren her passion for nature. 
 
There are several ways to support this event: show up at 10am to register and 
participate in the walk and activities, create or join a fundraising team, 
donate online or at the event, donate goods, or be a vendor. To donate, join or 
create a team use the link
https://nbtsevents.braintumor.org/event/2018-3rd-annual-nbts-nature-alk/e185662.
 
 For details on event activities and offerings, please contact Lauren Thompson at 
217-622-8294 or Thompson.lauren84@gmail. 
com, or Norman Emery at 703-674-6828 or
norm.emery@gmail.com.
 
				 
		[Norman Emery] |