There were more than 100 of them, as well as a team that volunteered for such tasks as registering walkers, painting faces and cleaning up. And they were all there to do one thing: show everyone that they care about supporting diabetes research. The fact that they also had fun was just a bonus.

Fall 2008, another 100 Vanderbilt Diabetes Center walkers--this time in black t-shirts--marched through the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere as part of the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out to Fight Diabetes. As the animals were waking up, more than 2,000 walkers pounded the pavement and listened to the live music.

 

Since Vanderbilt was a title sponsor for the ADA event, a photographer lined up the whole Vanderbilt team for a photo. Just one problem: there were so many of them that the photographer had a hard time fitting everyone into one photo.

 

“It was a good problem to have,” noted Britton Burton, coordinator for outreach and programs for Vanderbilt Medical Center.

           

Another good thing: the two teams raised over $9,000 for diabetes research.

           

The JDRF walk raised $500,000 and drew 3,300 participants. So far, the ADA has raised a total of $192,000 from the Step Out to Fight Diabetes walk, and the association will continue to collect money and donations for it through November 11^th.

 

Vanderbilt’s team captains for the two walks included Marcy Grier, Cindy Lybarger, Jan Hicks, Donna Tate, Margo Black, Louisa Morrison, Connie Root, Tanya Parrish, Katie Colbert, Kim Garton and Alison Hartog.