Walking and rolling in person, fundraiser supports MMI

Walk & Roll for Disabilities returned as an in-person event after going virtual for 2021.

When the Burke High Bulldogs drumline thundered to a start, Walk & Roll for Disabilities announced loudly to all — it is back live and in person.

As the popular fundraiser by the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities gathered, people from around the adult disability community greeted friends long-separated with a hug, not just a wave across a video chat. They posed for selfies, instead of taking a screen shot.

And they actually walked and rolled around Oak View Mall, with hopes of putting virtual gatherings behind them, at least for this day.

The 18th annual Walk & Roll went off in person March 6, offering a joyous return for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The organizers required masks to help protect the vulnerable participating in the event.

See photos from the event by UNMC's Kent Sievers on this Flickr roll. And watch this video by UNMC's Rich Watson.

The fundraiser has always served as a special social gathering for the adult disability community, but the fundraiser went virtual for 2021 as the coronavirus pandemic wore on. The last time Walk & Roll gathered, in March 2020, the pandemic was at Omaha’s doorstep.  

Mary McHale is president of the board for the Meyer Foundation and a parent of an adult child with Down syndrome, Daniel.

"We are so excited and thrilled to be back in person," said Mary McHale, president of the board for the Meyer Foundation and a parent of an adult child with Down syndrome, Daniel. "We’re thrilled for our community to be able to get together and gather and see old friends and maybe make new ones, too."

The event drew 325 participants on 21 Walk & Roll teams, including new participants from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, which had one of the larger teams. Star Wars costume actors patrolled the scene, and clowns painted faces.

In all, the event raised more than $25,000 for adult recreational therapy programs at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. The funds will go to support MMI’s yoga club, cooking instruction and its Thursday night adult program.

"We are deeply, deeply grateful," Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute, told the crowd.

The pandemic has been especially difficult for people with disabilities, said Tony Green, director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and a participant in the walk.

People with a disability often have extra health considerations in addition to their intellectual or developmental disability, Green said. With COVID-19, people who have a developmental disability are at higher risk of severe outcomes, so many families have pulled back socially and stepped up precautions.

"This really has been a time of isolation for many — and safety," Green said. "It's nice to see folks getting back out and enjoying and being a part of their communities again."

The B Strong team — in support of 29-year-old Brandon Herting — was among the participating teams.

Brandon’s mom, Barb, said Brandon always lights up when it’s time for activities at MMI. It was nice to be back in person for Walk & Roll, too.

"It's so nice," Herting said. "And he's so excited because he gets to see his friends."

Lily Symens served as honorary advocate for the event, along with Brandon Herting.