Walk for Ben raises some $200,000 Walk for Ben raises some $200,000 (June 09, 2004)

By Jonas Raab
Special to the Almanac

The first Walking for Ben event in Menlo Park raised about $200,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, with more donations coming in, organizers say.

About 340 people participated in the May 8 walk, organized by the McGovern family in memory of Ben McGovern, who died in 1999 of a rare form of Leukemia three months before his third birthday.

The event was sponsored by the Rotary International District 5150, Greater Bay Bancorp and Nordstrom, with all proceeds going to fund cancer research.

Emily McNaughton, who worked closely with Ben's grandfather Jim McGovern in organizing Walking for Ben, called the event a success, adding that they did not reach their goal of $250,000.

"I told the Leukemia [and Lymphoma] Society 'I'm Sorry,'" she said. "They said 'Are you crazy? The national average for a first event is $30,000.'"

The idea for the event came from Jim McGovern, in an effort to stop grieving and do something positive to remember his grandson.

The McGovern family hopes to turn Walking for Ben into an annual event, said Emily McNaughton, teaming up with the Light the Night Walk, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's nationwide walk to raise research funds.

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