Welcome to the first of seven Walk Team Spotlights! We will highlight one JDRF One Walk team each week between now and October 2nd.

The first team to step into the spotlight is “Holler for Oliver Our #1” from Merrillville, IN.

Who are you walking for?
Our family walk team is walking for our grandson, Oliver Rauscher, who was diagnosed with T1D when he was four years old (he will soon be turning 13). Of course he is our #1, but we walk for the benefit of ALL those affected with this disease. Our 13 member family team consists of me (grandma) as team captain, grandpa, our two children (Angela and Fred) with their spouses, and our seven grandchildren. Oliver is Fred’s oldest child. The 2016 Walk will be our fifth year walking as a family.

Why did you pick your team’s name?
Team members were asked to submit suggestions to me for a team name that included OLIVER and a saying that connected with the word Oliver. Since the word “holler” described Oliver to a “T” at the time and it somewhat rhymed with Oliver, our team name was born. The first year we walked, my son-in-law designed us a royal blue shirt with our team name. As the children have grown we have handed down the shirts and have ordered new ones as needed. Since we started in 2012 we’ve had two grandchildren born to begin their first walk in a stroller wearing their Holler for Oliver onesies!

What’s your favorite memory from the first walk?
One favorite memory from our first walk was just seeing the proudness and gratefulness on our oldest grandchild’s face. He could not believe the amount of people at the walk who wanted to participate in this event to help him and others like him living with T1D. Oliver proudly placed the JDRF sticker on his t-shirt that read something like, “Thank you for walking to help find my cure!” The excitement on the other grandkids’ faces and the warmth I felt in my heart made me feel so very proud to have performed this Act of Kindness with the loved ones closest to me. This first walk definitely is a heart print memory that I’ll never forget.

What are some of your Walk Day traditions?
Our Walk Day traditions span both Saturday and Sunday of Walk weekend. I plan an organized activity with the team on Saturday evening. It’s usually a “hunt” of some sort for the children in the backyard once it gets dark. It’s ranged from a bug hunt with flashlights to finding eggs filled with goodies or numbers to “claim a prize” or Golden Eggs with a little money inside. We’ll make a campfire for roasting marshmallows and making S’mores.

The kids know that on walk day grandma will insist on a kids’ group photo along with a whole-team photo with everyone wearing their Holler for Oliver team shirts in our backyard. Besides a serious photo we all get together for one “wild and crazy” shot, as we call it.

The kids have really enjoyed making crafts, the bounce house, and the balloon-making clown at the past walks. They particularly like the “free” food as they call it.

Another annual tradition I try to keep going is reaching the team goal and to top the amount earned from the previous year’s walk. We’ve succeeded thus far raising our total from $1,650 in 2012, to $2,700 in 2013, to $3,311 in 2014, and to $4,000 in 2015 at our “Virtual Walk.” Hopefully, in a few weeks we will witness another “jump up” for our 2016 One Walk Fundraising efforts.

Check back next week for our next Walk Team Spotlight. There is still time to register for the 2016 JDRF One Walk – click here to register your team!