It is truly remarkable that we are inviting you to join Mike’s Miracles at the 17th Annual Walk to Defeat ALS on Saturday, October 10,2020 at the Park at River Walk in Bakersfield.  Back in 2004, no one in their right mind would have believed that Michael would live for 14 years with this disease, leading the fight to help those afflicted with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  The Kern County Walk inspired Michael and it continues to inspire other local ALS patients to fight on with the help of Michael’s family, friends and neighbors.  After 14 years of fighting this deadly disease, Michael succumbed to ALS on November 12, 2013. He will live on with his team of supporters, his wife Stacy, his daughter Michelle and his son Bryce.  There are still many that need our help, especially in Kern County. Please help us beat this dreaded disease!

With the help of the Golden West Chapter of the ALS Association, our local walk is organized by a group of dedicated volunteers, whose tireless efforts makes this event such a success.  The result is we are improving the lives of those afflicted with ALS.  It is exciting to see people of all races, ages, creeds and abilities gathering in the park in support of our cause.  With our community spirit, we can be outstanding and top last year's total.  In 2014 we realized the Goal of having raised over $1 Million dollars in our community to assist those with ALS, their families and caregivers.

Thanks to your generous support, the outlook for our local ALS patients has improved greatly over the since 2004.  Our case manager Robin Eller runs the local support group while also providing one-on-one personalized services to our ALS patients, many who live in remote areas.  We now have access to 16 ALS clinics between Los Angeles and San Francisco.  The loan pool has expanded to include a cough assist machines, speech devices and motorized wheelchairs to help supply essential medical equipment to those in need.  

We have already succeeded in realizing these goals from 2018-2019: 

1. We have increased service coverage to 90% of ALS Patients in Kern County

2. We have increased the level of support to ALS Clinics

3. We have increased population of patients registered in the National ALS registry

In 2020 we must: 
1. Continue to financially support our local Chapter, to ensure that the Support Group continues its important work, that our case carriers have less than 100 people to provide education and support to, to maintain the 16 ALS Clinics that are all accessible to our patients, and to continue the important research to try and eradicate this horrendous disease.  

Michael faced the challenge of ALS for 14 years, but he was not alone. The ALS Association provided vital services to help Michael live an active and meaningful life.  The ALS Association played a crucial role in obtaining a cough assist machine, which helped maintain Michael’s breathing capacity.  There is no doubt that Michael’s abilities had declined. But with assistance, Michael maintained the household, cooked fabulous family dinners and raised his son through his senior year of high school. Although he couldn't feed, dress or shower himself, Michael still got around quite well in a motorized wheelchair.  The monthly support group continues to be a lifeline for our fellow ALS families, who come to give and receive life-changing advice and a much-needed boost to the spirit. 

In 2016, Stacy Inman, Michael’s wife, approached the Bakersfield City Council to request that a Memorial be placed at the Park at River Walk to commemorate the ALS Walk that Michael, with the support of friends and family, founded in 2004.  The Council referred the request to the Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department. After meeting with Dianne Hoover, Director of Recreation and Parks, Stacy established a plan for a Memorial. Stacy met with Jason Meadors, Bakersfield Water Resource Director, who assisted in locating a Boulder for the Memorial. Thereafter Stacy met with David Williams, owner of the Williams Monument Company.  David assisted in conceptualizing a plaque to be placed on the Boulder.  The Plaque was forged and affixed it to the Boulder just prior to the 2016 Kern County ALS walk. . 

The Memorial was consecrated at the  Walk, on Saturday, October 1, 2016,at 9:30 a.m. during Ceremonies for the Walk. This Memorial symbolizes everything that Bakersfield and Kern County have done to raise over $1 Million dollars to support those with ALS and their families by providing a case manager, a support group, an equipment loan pool and free ALS Clinics.

Please join me at the 17th Annual Walk to Defeat ALS on Saturday, October 10, 2020,at the Park at River Walk.

From finding doctors, to obtaining medical equipment, or providing a sympathetic ear, the ALS Association has been there to help ALS patients through our most difficult times. 

Please join Mike’s Miracles and the ALS Association combat this deadly disease with research and personal assistance, so that ALS patients do not give up hope.  Please consider sponsoring us at any level as we “Walk to Defeat ALS”.  Make your check payable to The ALS Association, and write "Bakersfield-Mike’s Miracles" in the memo line, so that the money goes directly to Bakersfield. We all look forward to participating in the fifteenth year of this amazing event!"