Victoria's birthday • July 2, 2023

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A Norfolk woman has raised around $740 for the ALS in the Heartland walk this Sunday.

Elizabeth  Chapman, a disciple of Norfolk Rescue Mission’s New Life Program,  started fundraising for the ALS in the Heartland Walk only two weeks  ago. She said her original goal was to raise $500, but she quickly  exceeded that number.

“When I  said $500, I thought, ‘Well, maybe I can reach that,’” Chapman said. “It  sounded like a good goal. But I never expected to raise that much.”

According  to Chapman, she was inspired by her friend Caroline Miller of Norfolk  to start fundraising for the walk. Miller has ALS, also known as Lou  Gehrig's disease, which is a rare nervous system disease that weakens  muscles and affects physical functions.

According  to the ALS Association, a nonprofit that funds research and provides  care services for people with ALS, there is no known cause or cure for  the disease. ALS is fatal and the average life expectancy of people with  the disease is two to five years, although some people live for much  longer.

“When (Caroline) told me about it, I just wanted to help out with the cause,” Chapman said.

According to Roxann  Fox, the director of women’s ministries with the Norfolk Rescue Mission,  Chapman asked the mission’s neighbors and staff for donations, as well  as people at her church and in the community.

“I'm really proud of her,” Fox said. “... The community has embraced us and what she's doing.”

According to Fox, there are only three people in the Northeast Nebraska area who have ALS, including Miller.

“(Caroline)  is) a very strong, godly lady — a strong believer. And she keeps saying  God chose me to go through this,” Fox said. “And when we go visit her  and take her meals, we're always the ones leaving in tears because she's  so inspiring.”

Tammy Stalzer, the executive director of the nonprofit ALS in the Heartland, called Chapman’s fundraising efforts “incredible.”

“I love when that happens — when people  gather around their friends or their family, and they say, ‘You know  what, we're going to help you raise awareness.’ Because this is an  agency, that likely in this situation, I'm guessing is helping you. And  we want to be able to have some part in that.”

Stalzer  said ALS in the Heartland, which is based out of Omaha, has been  holding walks for ALS in Norfolk for more than 13 years.

This  year’s walk will be located at Skyview Lake in Norfolk and will begin  on Sunday at 1 p.m. Activities such as a beanbag toss and spinning wheel  will be available, as well as a silent auction.

Before  the start of the ceremonial walk at 2 p.m., bubbles will be handed out  for people to ‘blow in the air as they remember those they’ve lost to  ALS,’ Stalzer said.

“We think  about and honor those who are living with ALS,” Stalzer said, “and think  about the hope we have that someday we can figure out a cure to this  disease.”

Stalzer said the walk usually lasts until 4 p.m., but people can walk as long as they want.

Free-will  donations can still be given beforehand and also will be accepted at  the ALS in the Heartland Walk. People who wish to donate to Chapman’s  fundraising efforts before the walk on Sunday can stop by the Norfolk  Rescue Mission and ask for either Chapman or Fox.

“I'm  just glad that I could be a part of blessing Caroline and the other  people that have ALS because there's no cure for it,” Chapman said. “And  this money goes for research and stuff like that. So that's my biggest  goal — that hopefully, the money will help them find some kind of  medicine or a cure.”