Team Cuesta College will once again be taking part in the annual Walk to Cure Arthritis – Central Coast. This year the event takes place at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on May 21. The walk has ties to Cuesta College; alum Michael Sherman and his wife, Teri, a Cuesta College counselor, are responsible for partnering with the Arthritis Foundation and bringing the walk to the Central Coast nine years ago.

“I began the SLO County walk after my father passed away from arthritis complications,” said Sherman, a clinical exercise physiologist with North County and Creekside Physical Therapy practices. “The first year we put this walk on was a lot of hard work, getting local sponsorships, fund raising, and getting people involved. But it was a huge success and it is now an annual event. Each May, I look forward to remembering my dad and getting involved with this wonderful event.”

Representatives of the Arthritis Foundation credit the local event’s success to the Sherman’s.

“Mike and his wife Teri have been fundraising and recruiting team members to join this effort since Mike chaired the first SLO Walk, which started in Atascadero and grew into its current location at Cal Poly,” said Arthritis Foundation Central Coast Offices Senior Development Director Debbie Martin. “Mike’s patients plus Teri’s coworkers at Cuesta College join us each year to celebrate their fundraising successes.”   

Teri Sherman describes the link between Cuesta College and the Arthritis Foundation as a natural one.

“The Arthritis Foundation has a mission of changing lives, which is parallel to our mission here at Cuesta College,” said Teri. “Cuesta prepares students to go into sciences, medical professions, politics, and social sciences that could someday have an impact on the research, political advocacy, medical treatments, and counseling for the adults and children suffering from arthritis.”

Currently, Team Cuesta College consists of 11 employees, students, alumni and community members. On May 21, approximately 500 individuals in total will participate in the three-mile walk, with a goal of raising $200,000. To register for Team Cuesta College, click here or call (805) 563-4685.

The Walk to Cure Arthritis is the Arthritis Foundation’s signature event that takes place in communities nationwide to raise funds and awareness to fight arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability. For more information on the Arthritis Foundation, click here.