Walk-a-thon planned by foundation

Sunday, August 27, 2006 Participants will hike through Boardman Township Park during benefit event. BOARDMAN — The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will hold its seventh annual Youngstown Great Strides Walk-a-thon Sept. 9 at Boardman Township Park. Walkers are encouraged to collect $150 in donations for their participation in the event. Sign-in will be at 9 a.m., and the 10-K walk will begin at 10. Afterward there will be food, fun and music at the Masters Pavilion. Those interested in participating can register online at www.cff.org/great strides, by calling (800) 368-2150 or (330) 759-0913, or simply by attending the event. Arrangements for the benefit event are being made by the Youngstown Great Strides executive committee, Kathy O'Nesti, Marilyn Nicora Hanley, Colleen Novosel, Missy Rowland, Judy Greene, Kelly Greene and Suzanne Zak. The disease CF is a complex, genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Since its inception in 1989, Great Strides has become the foundation's largest and fastest-growing fund-raiser for awareness, research and treatment of the disease. More than 1,000 walkers are expected to participate in Great Strides at seven sites in northeast Ohio in an effort to raise $300,000 of the $32 million the national foundation hopes to raise this year.