Julie A. Bumpus, Emerita Associate Dean of Students

Dear Campus Carrier, 

If you will print this letter, I will be so pleased. Pleased because it recognizes two deserving but unsung heroes at Berry College: Dr. Janna Johnson and Coach Tony Kunczewski. These two members of our community work with endless energy and with absolute dedication to organize and produce the Multiple Sclerosis Walk for the Rome-Floyd County area every spring. 

Again this year, over 400 people participated in the MS Walk last Saturday which is expected to raise another $40,000 to help the National MS Society find a cure for MS. Dr. Johnson and Coach K exemplify “Be Berry” and I, for one, am forever grateful to them. 

In addition, please allow me to thank all of the many Berry staff and faculty, and especially students who support the MS Walk. Since this event was moved to Berry from Ridge Ferry Park in 2001, people have rallied around it and helped make it one of the most successful in the state of Georgia. The Briggs, the Heidas, the Kennedys, the Dashers, the Crows, the Shipmans, the Powells, the Papazians just to name a few are always supportive and involved. 

The women’s soccer team with Coach Canalis are front and center in every annual MS Walk Team picture (often with a dog!) and there are countless eager and helpful volunteers from the football team, the athletic trainers, and the phenomenal Athletes Bettering the Community (ABC) organization especially this year under the awesome leadership of Caleb Ford. 

Last Saturday our community came in every color, every condition, every commitment; some followed Tony and his two sons outside for almost 4 miles on a damp and dreary morning on the Berry campus while others circled around on the Cage walking track for 27 laps, almost 4 miles. They were all so pretty that I could not hold back the tears. Thank you all. Yes, we can.