The Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run/Walk

People get crazy at this popular Arthritis Foundation event, wearing everything from Santa hats to antlers!

By Tiffany Yates

It may not be the holiday season, but it’s never too early to prepare for the “coolest” event of year, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis.

Across the country, they show up with bells on. Some sport antlers, Santa caps or holiday-themed scarves. Some bring dogs, miniature horses or goats – and almost everyone and their pets wear tinkling bells.

The Jingle Bell Run/Walk, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2009, is an all-ages event for families, friends and co-workers who team up and dream up ways to raise money for arthritis. In 2008, 125 events with 100,000 participants took place from coast to coast, raising more than $4.3 million to support arthritis research and services, such as the Foundation’s Life Improvement Series, including its Self-Help and Exercise Programs.

Meet a few of the teams from three of the top Jingle Bell Run/Walks in the country that continue to make the event a success.

Malvern, Pa., Jingle Bell Run/Walk

Sydney’s Saints: When Trina Hendrixson learned in September 2008 that her 13-year-old daughter, Sydney, had juvenile arthritis, she recalls thinking, “How can I make this positive for us as a family?” Jingle Bell presented a perfect opportunity to share Sydney’s story and build support. Trina and Sydney rallied 33 family members, friends and neighbors to walk with Sydney’s Saints in the Malvern event, which raised $180,000 last year to benefit the Arthritis Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter.

“It was really fun,” says Sydney, who walked with some friends and her dog, Macdoogal. “It was really optimistic and there were a lot of people.”

This year, Sydney is the Jingle Bell Run/Walk Honoree. She and her mother have even bigger plans for the 2009 event. Trina hopes to enlist corporate support through the family business, Hendrixsons’ Ford dealership, and spread the word through schools and civic groups to help build more support.

“I really think the event helped Sydney, and because it’s right before Christmas, it’s a fun thing to do,” says Trina.

Team Endo: At the Malvern event last year, a wave of bright orange washed through the holiday reds and greens as Team Endo arrived in signature T-shirts, gloves and headbands. The team from Endo Pharmaceuticals, maker of Voltaren Gel – an orange medication for joint pain – was the No. 1 fundraising team in the country in 2008. “People were looking at us like, ‘That’s not a Christmas color,’ but we felt really great,” says co-captain Elisa Peterson.

A pep rally and Jingle Jeans Friday helped Endo raise more than $27,000 for the event, and the company fitness center urged exercise as a way to stave off holiday weight gain. Participation was company-wide, from the CEO on down.

“We did many fun activities within Endo to get participation levels up and families involved, and it turned out to be a great event. We even exceeded our own goals,” says Peterson.

Seattle Jingle Bell Run/Walk

The Amgen Team: In Seattle, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk is not just a fundraiser. As the largest and among the oldest in the country – 25 years – “It’s the official kickoff of the holiday season,” says Melinda Jodry, who’s been participating since 1998. “Everyone has bells on their feet and it’s so noisy. It’s just fun!”

With 11,000 participants who raised almost $450,000 in 2008, its success is due in no small part to the Amgen corporate team, which Jodry captains. The producer of the drug Enbrel, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases, Amgen is the lead sponsor for the Seattle race and organizes a team of employees with their friends and families. With as many as 369 members, The Amgen Team has raised up to $19,000 in a year. “This event is a great way for our employees who work on our therapies to support and get out and meet the people they’re helping,” Jodry says.
 

Bellingham, Wash., Jingle Bell Run/Walk

Hanson Family: Ann Hanson has had RA for more than 25 years, but it was only after her husband was asked to host a breakfast for Jingle Bell Run/Walk captains about 15 years ago that the Hansons became involved. Now, the Bellingham event is how her family celebrates Christmas each year.

“We started making this the family tradition about 12 years ago and it happens every year, rain or shine,” she says. “There are three generations involved.”

With fewer than 200,000 residents, Bellingham is a small but mighty force for the event. It has consistently raised more in each of the past 10 years than any other Jingle Bell Run/Walk, save for Seattle. In 2008, 3,200 people, 300 dogs and three Shetland ponies turned out, raising $147,000.

“This has become a tradition for people, and I think a lot of it has to do with the season; most people feel like helping others at Christmas time,” says Hanson. “It’s a real positive event for arthritis and Bellingham, and certainly our family.”

Join in the jingle! To find a Jingle Bell Run/Walk near you, contact your local Arthritis Foundation office by visiting www.arthritis.org/chaptermap.