Yorkton's first Give the Gift of Life Fun Run and Walk was held at the Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday.
In partnership with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, local volunteers helped make Yorkton's walk - the first in rural Saskatchewan - a success.
The 62 registered walkers raised $11,334. A silent auction and raffle sale raised an additional $1,189. This money will not only raise awareness for organ donation, but will benefit those who live with kidney disease in Saskatchewan.
"The goal was $8,000, so yes, it was a success and just to get the awareness out there" was important to volunteer organizer Audrey Parisloff.
Parisloff has been directly affected by kidney disease. Alport Syndrome, or A.S., runs through her bloodline.
The syndrome is an inherited disorder that damages tiny blood vessels in the kidneys. Over time, A.S. affects the eyes, ears, and kidneys.
Parisloff lost two brothers to the disease, and now her grandson, Bradley Woychesko, is on the waiting list for a kidney.
Organizing the walk was a chance for Parisloff to raise awareness in Yorkton for organ donation. Colour-coordinated t-shirts indicated others who have been affected. Green t-shirts showed who had received a kidney transplant while white t-shirts signified people currently on dialysis.
Margaret Schindler and her son Derek both wore green, and walked alongside their family members. Their family is also affected by Alport Syndrome. They admitted that it was surprising to see how many people in Yorkton had received kidney transplants.
Parisloff says it's too early to say whether she'll be organizing a walk next year.
"We'll see it helped to get some of these people out here to sign (their) donor cards, and that's the purpose of the walk."
