Irish Whisper Walk of Hope raises $35,000
WEST MILFORD. The walk in memory of Danny Kane raises funds for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
| 01 May 2024 | 07:22
The 15th annual Irish Whisper Walk of Hope, in memory of Danny Kane, begins Saturday, April 27 at Pinecliff Lake. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
The walk raises funds for the Lymphoma Research Foundation. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
From left are the late Danny Kane’s daughters, Tricia Kane Graney and Kathleen Evangelista; his widow, Patti; and his son, Daniel. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
Participants in the Irish Whisper Walk of Hope pose for a photo in the shape of a shamrock by Pinecliff Lake. (Photo by Mike Dygos)
A Tricky Tray was held along with the walk. (Photo by Mike Dygos)
About 200 people take part in the 15th annual Irish Whisper Walk of Hope, in memory of Danny Kane. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
The walk is in memory of Danny Kane, a lifelong resident of West Milford and a health and physical education teacher in the township’s school district for 34 years. He died in 2009 of Mantle Cell Lymphoma. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
The crowd applauds during the opening ceremony. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
Participants in the Irish Whisper Walk of Hope pose for a photo in the shape of a shamrock. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
The 15th annual Irish Whisper Walk of Hope and Tricky Tray has raised $34,510 with donations still coming in, Tricia Kane Graney said Monday, April 29.
The walk, in memory of her father, Danny Kane, raises funds for the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). He died in 2009 of Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
Before the latest event, the Irish Whisper Team had raised more than $600,000 for LRF and won its 2023 Fundraiser of the Year Award.
Graney, a teacher at Maple Road Elementary School, estimated that 200 people attended the walk and tricky tray, which was held in the Pinecliff Lake Community Club before and after the walk through the neighborhood.
The total raised included donations from attendees, online donations at https://www.justgiving.com/page/whisper and money raised from the Danny Buck Kane Golf Outing, organized by Roy Ryan last summer.
Patti Kane said she appreciated all the people who took part in the event. They included former colleagues and some of the wrestlers her husband had coached.
He was a lifelong West Milford resident who taught health and physical education in the township’s school district for 34 years.
”Everybody who comes to support this always has a smile on their face because of Danny, because he touched them in a way that makes them want to always return that smile here on Irish Whisper Day.”
Patti Kane also thanked all those who donated prizes for the tricky tray.
Mary Reinhold, who later became principal of Macopin Middle School, said Danny Kane was her first friend when she started work there in 1978. “We worked together for about 30 years.”
The first LRF fundraising walk was held in Central Jersey with Danny Kane participating, Reinhold said. After he died, the family started the walk in his memory in Pinecliff Lake.
”I‘m walking in support of Danny and because I’m a seven-year cancer survivor,” said Katie Hoffman, a Wanaque resident.
She had Hodgkin lymphoma, then relapsed six months later. “But now I’m seven years cancer-free.
”We like to support all the cancer walks around us,” she added.