Brainerd Diabetes Walk raises record sum

Nearly $21,000 was raised in the fourth annual Walk for Diabetes in Brainerd Saturday.

"Despite brisk temperatures and a few snow flakes, 125 brave souls walked, biked and in-line skated to raise money for a cure for diabetes," said Mary Paine, chairwoman of the American Diabetes Association's Brainerd chapter.

Honorary Chairmen Brainerd Mayor James Wallin and Baxter Mayor Gary Muehlhausen competed against each other to see which city could raise the most money for the walk. Baxter narrowly won the contest.

Fourteen teams were represented at the walk in Brainerd. Team Nystrom, chaired by Quinn and Will Nystrom, won top honors raising $6,000.

At Mississippi Horizons School a week-long competition between the sixth through the ninth grades raised $2,764.97. The sixth grade raised $634.36. The seventh grade raised $453.17. The eighth grade raised $1,033.74 and the ninth grade raised $644.27.

The eighth grade students will be treated to a pizza party by the American Diabetes Association on Friday.

Quinn Nystrom, co-chair of the Mississippi Horizon competition, said a goal was to raise $1,000.

"We are tremendously pleased with how much money we made," Nystrom said Friday, noting the count meant adding up a lot of pennies.

Lee Johnson, executive director for the American Diabetes Association state chapter participated in the Brainerd walk. Johnson said 80 percent of money raised goes directly to diabetes research. Nationally, the association will donate $20 million to help find a cure, Johnson said. A money goal the association hopes to triple by 2003. Brainerd's Walk for Diabetes was one of 10 in Minnesota Saturday and among 250 set nation-wide.