Cooper Walks & Rides for Hope Walks

Last June Cooper completed his first charity walk. He along with other children from the Upper Room community and Christ Presbyterian Church raised over $25,000 for HEAL Africa and Global Strategies for HIV Prevention in the support of orphans and vulnerable children in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. - Can you help him do it again? He (along with his mom and dad, Erin & Chris Kost, and his faithful stroller) will set out again on Sunday, June 29th to complete the 1.9 mile walk around Normandale Lake to raise awareness and to help others. - Why Hope Walks? Because it's children helping children and we want Cooper to learn that caring for others does not stop at the edge of your neighborhood, your socio-economic class, your nation or your comfort zone. - Those who live in resource rich countries benefit from the remarkable scientific advances in HIV. With over 20 drugs to treat HIV infection, the lives of those who are infected have been extended for several decades; with knowledge of how to prevent all means of HIV transmission, new HIV infections have decreased significantly. Not so for those in resource poor countries -- especially for children. Never before have so many children been orphaned by a single disease. 30% of children under the age of 15 will become orphans by 2010 in 11 African countries. Hope Walks provides education of all ages, preschool through adults, to learn how to help orphans and vulnerable children in the world who daily struggle to live and grow. - Please help us teach Cooper how to help others. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support! Chris, Erin & Cooper Kost

To find out more information you can go to http://www.active.com/donate/hopewalksminneapolis/Kostfamily