Walk will return in 2014
It is with deep regret that we inform our supporters that the 2013 Colin Leslie Walk for Celiac Disease has been cancelled. Rye High School, the walk's hosting site since 2006, is undergoing construction and cannot accommodate the day's events. We were unable to find a suitable replacement site that offered both a nice walk route and space for all of our vendors. For these reasons, the Colin Leslie Walk for Celiac Disease will return to Rye, NY in 2014. We thank you for your continued support!
If you would like to support the walk during this year off we will still accept donations which will be given directly toward research at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. Please visit our donate page or Click Here for more information on how to make a donation.
Why the walk was started
My name is Colin Leslie. I am currently 20 years old and I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in November of 2005. After being diagnosed, I decided I wanted to make a difference in the Celiac Disease community. I contacted the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and told them that I wanted to host a walk in Rye, NY. They were thrilled and told me to contact the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group for help on how to proceeed. With these two organizations, the first Colin Leslie for Celiac disease was held in 2006, raising $62,471.73 and attracting over 400 walkers. The success of this walk encouraged me to turn it into an annual event. Over the past six years I have raised over $335,000 all of which I have donated to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. In total, approximately 3000 people have now attended one of my walks. I am excited that 2012 marks the seventh year for this event. The day will include a gluten free vendor fair, an available-for-purchase gluten free lunch, and Dr. Peter Green as a guest speaker. By hosting this event I hope to bring awareness to a condition which is severely under recognized by the general public. With your help this event will once again be a success. I hope to see you at this year's Colin Leslie Walk for Celiac Disease.