I'm sitting on a plane flying home after spending 3 days in Chicago footing with friends, visiting family, and attending my 4th consecutive Jan's Fans Foot'n to Fight MS barefoot ski event. This year I had two reasons for attending the event.  The first was to participate and raise money for a good cause.  We were able to raise $500 in cash and donated a brand new Intensity Rocket to be auctioned off at the event.  Our second reason for attending this year was to present Tom Hart and Kevin O'Connell with their 2004 Co-Footers of the Year awards.  They had been voted Footers of the Year back in early January, but I wanted to present them their a awards in person since I knew I would be attended the Jan's Fans Event. Tom Hart and Kevin O'Connell work together to help organize this event each year to help raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis, a debilitating disease his wife Janet was diagnosed with over 11 years ago.  In the last 11 years, Tom and his footing friends have raised well over $100,000 for the MS Society.  You can read all about the history of this event by clicking here.

This year's event was once again scheduled for the 1st weekend in May in hopes that the weather would be warm.  Chicago had been experiencing some warm weather leading up to the event, so hopes were high that this year would see record high temps and sunny weather.  But like a cruel joke, Mother Nature decided to deliver a weekend of low 40s, cloudy skies, and plenty of wind.  To make it a little more interesting, she threw in a small hail storm during the event just to keep everyone on their toes.

Her name is Jes She's every young footer's dream.  She's 17, Smokin HOT,  and most importantly, she foots!    Click Here for video interview

Michele Gleason and Janice Hart

But as always, the weather did not detour the die hard Jan's Fans.  They showed up on the dock, suited up in their dry-suits, and waited for their turn to ski.  Spirits were high, and there was plenty of skiing for all.  This year, Tom decided to start at 9:30am to be sure to catch all the MS Walkers there to raise money by walking the shorelines.  A few thousand people were on the shoreline eating breakfast and signing in to participate in the MS Walk as the skiers went back and forth.  

Tom & Kevin show off for the camera.  CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT A VIDEO OF THEM BOTH ON THE BOOM

After everyone's toes were sufficiently numb, we all met on the shoreline to present Tom and Kevin with their Barefooter of the Year awards.  Jan had taken me aside to tell me how much the award meant to both of them.  Tom and Kevin had been beaming ever since finding out they had won.  They had been interviewed by the local radio station a couple of weeks earlier and they were proud to tell everyone about both the Jan's Fans event and the Footer of the Year award.  So I was glad I had decided to make their presentation in person.  Instead of telling you about it, we recorded it so click on the link below to see it for yourself.  Congratulations again boys!  Enjoy the year signing all those autographs!

Click Here to view FOY presentation

Tom Hart started the Jan's Fans event to give his friends an idea of what his wife experiences on a daily basis.  A common symptom of MS is numbness in the limbs.  Having his friends foot in the cold water for a day lets them all experience what Jan fights with in her daily life.

More Pictures from Jan's Fans 2005
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It was a pleasure handing Janice Hart a check from donations made on BarefootCentral.com.  For those of you who would still like to make a donation, it's not too late, click here to donate online.