by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
The annual “Epilepsy Stroll” at Lake George in St. Cloud last week exceeded everyone’s expectation, raising $64,195 in cash and pledges, with a Sartell team setting a record.
The number-one, record-breaking, money-raising team was “The Amazing Gracies,” which raised $15,632. The team was headed by Missy Schraut of Sartell, the mother of 6-year-old Gracie Schraut, who suffers from epileptic seizures. Although Gracie’s epilepsy is now under good control, thanks to medications, her mother and father, Jeff, decided to participate in the Epilepsy Stroll every year to raise money and awareness about epilepsy.
The Amazing Gracies raised more money than has ever been raised by a single team for the Epilepsy Stroll in its statewide history. There were 50 members on the team, who walked the two-mile route (three times around Lake George near downtown St. Cloud).
Lori Braegelmann, also of Sartell, is the outreach coordinator for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota. She said she was completely astonished by the success of last weeks’ event.
“It was the best one ever,” she said. “The biggest and the best. It was wonderful. We are in awe with the attendance, spirit and phenomenal fundraising achieved.”
There were 46 teams that participated and 717 walkers who came from throughout Minnesota to help. Twenty-one “Grand Club Teams” each raised $1,000 or more.
