The day before MSU football players report for practice, head coach John L. Smith has taken on the task of rallying support for an entirely different cause.
This Saturday, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF, will hold a Walk To Cure Diabetes on campus, kicking off at Ralph Young Field. It will be the first time the organization has sponsored a walk in the Lansing area, and Smith will serve as honorary walk chairman.
JDRF hosts hundreds of walks throughout the course of the year in 13 different countries, said Deb Wallace, an administrative assistant for the Detroit chapter's walk program. The chapter, one of two in Michigan, also hosts walks in Ann Arbor and Warren, she said.
The East Lansing walk was initiated by 53-year-old East Lansing resident Tom Brennan, Jr., a retired 55th District Court judge. Brennan said he decided to get involved after his two sons, both MSU students, were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
He helped form a committee of parents of diabetic children to plan the walk, he said.
He also set up a meeting with Smith, who agreed to take part in the walk.
Brennan said Smith told him JDRF had been his number-one charity while he was coach at University of Louisville, and he would make it his top charity at MSU in the future.
Smith was unable to be reached for comment.
Assistant coaches were asked to participate in the walk, and football players were invited to return to campus a day early to help out, Brennan said, but he wasn't optimistic many players will show up.
Saturday's walk will cover approximately 1.5 miles across campus, followed by a lunch for participants, a performance by local rock band Frog and the Bottoms, closing ceremonies and other activities.
The planning committee has already exceeded its goals of registering 25 family teams and 250 individual walkers and has raised $9,000 in online donations toward a goal of $25,000, he said.
"The hope is there will be a lot of last-minute people who are in town," he said. "Show-ups the day of the event is what makes it a true success."
He said he plans to continue the walk in the future and possibly move it to Munn Field next year.
Brennan's youngest son, Patrick, said everyone he has spoken to has been supportive of the cause.
"While well-wishers are great; we want people who are actually going to show up and take part," he said.
