Malden Catholic Students Walk on Behalf of the Leonard Florence Center for Living and Raise $13,000

Special to the Independent 

In honor of the 13th Annual ALS & MS Walk for Living, which was held virtually on October 17 to benefit the residents of the Leonard Florence Center for Living, the Malden Catholic High School held a three-mile walk on Wednesday, November 17 at 2:30 PM. Over 300 students, parents, faculty, staff and friends attended the walk around the track twelve times in honor those who have suffered from ALS in the community and raised over $13,000.

The walk honored Timothy Paquette (MC’07), who passed away from ALS on June 27, 2021, and is the son of Rick & Elizabeth Paquette; Chris Snow, a Melrose native who was diagnosed with ALS in 2019; Brother Joe Comber, a community member and care-giver to Brother Tim Hoey who was MC’s Social Studies Department Chairperson and beloved teacher who passed away from ALS on April 24, 2021. Brother Tim Hoey was also a resident of the Leonard Florence Center for Living. Speakers include Tim’s mom Elizabeth Paquette, Malden Mayor Gary Christenson and Walk for Living Director Maura Graham.

“Tim lost his battle with ALS this June, and he left his wife Chelsea and beautiful baby boy, Declan.  I felt devastated and overwhelmed but having the MC Lancers came out today provide a circle of love and care for those in the community who are suffering, meant a tremendous amount to me and my family,” stated Mrs. Elizabeth Paquette.

The Leonard Florence Center for Living enables its residents, many of whom are completely immobilized, to control lights, turn on the TV, call for the elevator, open doors and raise window shades, all with help of a computer and sensor that tracks head and eye movements for instruction. This technology enables them to move independently through the entire residence, vastly improving their quality of life.

Every single dollar raised from this Walk goes directly back to patient care and programs for the ALS and MS residents. The Center cares for more individuals living with ALS than any place else in the world.

“Malden Catholic has partnered with the Leonard Florence Center for the past 8 years and we are delighted to join together as a community to provide an improved quality of life for those who suffer from ALS and MS,” stated John K. Thornburg, Malden Catholic Headmaster. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPt0BJCancU Since 1932, Malden Catholic High School has shaped emerging leaders in our community, claiming a Nobel Laureate, a Senator, two ambassadors and countless community and business heads among its alumni. Annually, graduates attend some of the nation’s most renown universities including Harvard, Georgetown, Brown, Cornell, Tufts, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Amherst College. Foundational to student success is Malden Catholic’s codivisional model which offers the best of both worlds, single-gender academics during the day and integrated social and extracurricular opportunities after school. Malden Catholic is known in the community for its rigorous academics, SFX Scholars Program and award-winning STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) with electives such as Robotics and Engineering Design. Malden Catholic curriculum is designed to improve individual growth mindset, leadership principles, success outcomes along with integrating the Xaverian values of trust, humility, compassion, simplicity and zeal. https://www.maldencatholic.org/ 

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