‘Walk for Inspiration’ Sunday, May 16

Walk to Benefit MHS Softball Team, MHS Senior Fighting Serious Illness

The Medford High Softball team is organizing the first annual Walk for Inspiration, an event that will help raise money for the Medford High School Softball team and for MHS senior Melinda Stein, who is fighting a serious illness.

The walk is taking place from 6:00am-6:00pm Sunday, May 16 at Hormel Stadium. Participants can sign up for any amount of time during that twelve hour period to walk, run, or jog around the track.

“We’ve decided to call this a ‘Walk for Inspiration’ because to the team Melinda is an inspiration for going through so much with her illness but managing to keep her spirit,” said MHS softball coach Jack Dempsey.

Stein has undergone several weeks of expensive medical treatment and half of the walk’s proceeds will go towards helping her family with the medical bills.

Stein, a past softball player for MHS, told the Mustang News she has had much support from teammates through her struggles.

“I’m just so amazed that the team was thinking of me when they created the walk,” said Stein. “I really have much to owe to the people who walk this coming Sunday.”

In addition to raising money to help Stein, the team hopes to put some of the proceeds toward much-needed equipment such as helmets, bats, uniforms, and balls, among other necessities.

“It’s been hard to try and replace the equipment especially when we have three coaches and high expenses,” said Coach Dempsey. “The girls decided that they had to take matters into their own hands and I’m proud of them.”

The event will consist of a walk, run, or jog around the Hormel Stadium track. Each participant will circle the track as many times as possible, covering as much distance as they can in a one hour period (people are also free to sign up for more than one hour). Coach Dempsey said they are asking participants to collect pledges for the number of miles they cover or to support the event with a donation.

For more information about the walk, visit the MHS Softball website at www.medfordmustangsoftball.com/walk-for-inspiration/.