Benefiting Providence Brain Institute

Course and team photography courtesy of

Special Willamette Valley Relay Team Stories
Teams that make up the Willamette Valley Relay are formed through a number of different ways. Some are simply a group of friends who enjoy walking and coming together to challenge themselves and have fun at the same time. Some teams are made up of family members, using the relay as a family reunion gathering!   Some share a common bond, such as cancer and/or stroke survivors, church or work groups.... even frantic mothers who are looking for a fun, weekend away!!! Whatever the reason, we welcome you all! If you have a special team story, or a fun story you'd like to share about an experience your team had while participating in the WVR, we'd love to hear from you!  Please contact us a info@wondersofwalking.com and someone will contact you about getting your story, and pictures, on the site! 

Special team story from Stroke Stompers
The Stroke Stompers walking team developed from two sources. The first group comes from Portland 's Estonian/American community. The Estonian Americans here are very active and create a supportive, extended family type community. There is a strong following for fitness walking and we have loose groups walking together every month. Since we all care about each other and want each other to be around for a long time, there is interest in activities that will support that goal. My mother passed away 20 years ago due to a stroke. She was overweight and had no support for exercise. She was only 53 years old. She's missing all the good stuff-never met any of her grandchildren .

I really don't want any of my friends and their kids to loose a mom that young to something that can be prevented. I also hope to have a much longer life and see my grandchildren. My sister walks for the same reason.

Don't usually like to talk about myself but that is my motivation for organizing my walking teams. One of our Estonian American community members is employed at the OHSU stroke center. From there we gathered additional members for our walking team as well as a focus on stroke prevention. We have joined together to form the "Stroke Stompers" co-ed team for the Willamette Valley Relay. Our goals are to be safe, have fun, walk fast, and to create awareness for stroke prevention and treatment.

TIME=BRAIN

Ene Sokk, Team Captain
Stroke Stompers

If you have a special reason for building a team or a unique way of how you pulled your team together, please write us at info@wondersofwalking.com