US RRT at the Walk With Us to Cure Lupus Event, Seattle

On Saturday, July 9, 2016, 10 Seattle-based volunteers from RRT arrived at Seattle’s Magnuson Park, to support the Alliance for Lupus Research in their 2016 Seattle Walk to Cure Lupus. This event, hosted by the Lupus Foundation of America, has been successfully held in many cities across North America, often with the support of a local RRT group.

Cutting the Ribbon

The RRT crew arrived at 6:00AM to assist with the initial setup of the tents, chairs, tables and food items.  Signage and balloons were also set up to direct participators to the event, which was held at the far end of the park, on the shores of Lake Washington.

Name Registration

As participators arrived at the event, they were greeted by the friendly RRT staff, who assisted with the registration process, donation collection, and distribution of T-Shirts, headwear, and other promotional items.

Bagels and Pastries were well received

Many attendees took advantage of the refreshments RRT was providing such as bagels, pastries, sports drinks and water to prepare the donors for the 5000 Meter run/walk.

A tiny supporter

The event was preceded by a rendition of the National Anthem by a talented nine-year-old singer, and a speech by a well-known Seattle news anchor and his wife, who is a Lupus Warrior herself. This motivational opening ceremony really set the tone for the successful event.

Enjoying the Rest Spot provided by the RRT

One of the striking characteristics of this event was that most of the participators were direct family members of someone suffering from Lupus. Many of the walkers were “Lupus Warriors” themselves, persons who live every day with the effects of this disease, which the event was raising money to find a cure for.

Four legged participants were welcome

Nearly all of the attendees wore the signature purple color that has come to symbolize the fight to find a cure for Lupus. The T-Shirts, headgear and face-painting symbols were provided by The Lupus Foundation of America, and their team of volunteers.

The RRT that attended the event as volunteers

At the end of the event, RRT volunteers were able to assist with the disassembly and clean-up of the event facilities. They also coordinated and carried out the planning and logistics of transporting the unused bottled beverages and food items to the Union Gospel Mission – a well-established homeless shelter in Downtown Seattle, which serves up to 1100 meals a day to persons in need.

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