I’m excited to announce the launch of EricaFund.org , a project that’s been long in the making!
Since leaving Colorado in 2017, I’ve been anxiously waiting for the right time to elevate the E.R.I.C.A. Fund and all our sponsored lupus awareness events. These past few years, my professional career has taken me all over the country; when my current position brought me back to Colorado, I realized this was the perfect opportunity to revamp the annual E.R.I.C.A. Lupus Awareness Walk. I got to work right away connecting with members of the Colorado State University and UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation in order to host another meaningful E.R.I.C.A. event.
After much planning and preparation, the execution of this year’s event needed to be changed due to arising safety concerns related to the pandemic spread of the COVID-19 virus. Fortunately, I was able to find a way to adhere to social distancing standards while still being able to promote lupus awareness this year.
For those of you who have attended previous years’ events, you know how impactful and empowering our E.R.I.C.A. Lupus Awareness Walk is for our community and personally for my family. This event not only promotes lupus awareness, but it also helps my family and I honor the memory of my younger sister, Erica Johnson, who passed away in October of 2013 from this disease.
Moving forward, this year’s walk will take place along the trails within the Sage Creek community, located at the corner of Corbett Drive and Sage Creek Road in Fort Collins, Colorado (Near Twin Silo Park, please reference map details below).
In order to protect the public and our walk participants, we will not be gathering for a presentation or speaker this year. All participants will be directed to begin the walk as soon as they arrive, while E.R.I.C.A. team members help ensure appropriate social distances. Once participants complete the walk, they will be free to go. All I ask, is that each 2020 E.R.I.C.A. Lupus Awareness Walk participant take the time to review the lupus fact signage along the route and share what they have learned with others in their communities. This will help us continue to spread awareness without sacrificing personal health and safety standards.
For those of you who may be moved to do more please consider donating to the E.R.I.C.A. Lupus Patient Assistance Fund. You can find more information at the “Giving” link on our website.
Thank you so much for all your continued support and encouragement throughout the years. I look forward to seeing you all again in the near future without social distancing limitations. Until then, please distantly socialize with me on Saturday, May 9th 2020 at this year’s E.R.I.C.A. Walk 😊!
Ashley Reid, E.R.I.C.A. Founder
2020 Event Map and Walk Route
