ESU, community walks to fight cystic fibrosis

Chang Liu / The Bulletin

Blythe and Aron Dody walk in the annual Dody walk with their child Landon. This was the third annual Spring Forward: Lawson T. Dody Memorial Event.

Emporia State students, faculty and the Emporia community came together Thursday for the third annual Spring Forward: Lawson T. Dody Memorial event for cystic fibrosis.

“My health promotions students put this all together; it was a lot of work but it turned out really well,” said Jennifer Thomas, assistant professor of health promotion.

Students majoring in health promotions completed a lot of work to prepare for Thursday’s events.

“We put a lot of planning into this; we had to prepare flyers, recruit participants, organize today’s activities as well as host the event tonight,” said Makaila McClelland, senior health promotions major.

The event began at the HPER building where participants in the Spring Forward events were greeted by a D.J., balloons and a number of health promotions majors and Thomas and Landon Dody.

“All the money we collect today from all the events including the walk, auction and any donations will go directly to the foundation” McClelland said.

Landon Dody is the son of Aron Dody, Emporia High School math teacher, and Blythe Eddy, associate director of the Memorial Union at ESU. Landon was born with cystic fibrosis after the loss of his older brother, Lawson, to a cord incident. Landon is a great inspiration in the walk for the cystic fibrosis cause.

“This event is very, very special for my husband and me,” Eddy said. I have worked here a number of years and to see how much the community cares about my family and my son is so special.”

Many of the student organizers had heard about the Eddy-Dody family but had not yet met or been able to interact with the family. Throughout planning the event as well as participating in the event, many students felt as though they had come to know the family well.

“I didn’t know the family before the event but I was so glad that we had to the opportunity to help them; they seemed like such nice family,” McClelland said. “Through planning the event I’ve gotten to know them and it has well been worth the time and effort we put in to raise this money.”

Upon their arrival, participants were escorted into the HPER building where they registered themselves for the walk. The cost to participate was $5. After the registration process, participants could move onto the silent auction that included a number of home-baked goods.

At 6:30, the Spring Forward Walk began outside the HPER building and continued around the ESU campus.

There were a number of walkers including a large contingence of students from fraternities, sororities and recognized student organizations as well as students representing all majors on campus.

“The turnout has been great. I am really impressed by the number of people here to support the cause,” Thomas said.