Walking the walk, biking the bike.

Starting each spring, people across the country gear up for the Society's biggest and most inclusive events: The MS Walk and MS Bike Tours.

Peppered among the crowds and teams are people with MS. They walk unassisted or with canes or walkers; they roll in wheelchairs or scooters. Some do the MS Bike Tour, sometimes with adapted bikes. And some help at the rest stops and finish lines, giving out refreshments and medals and making a lot of noise.

Here's what some of them have to say about why they take part.

* Barney Mayse has walked the MS Walk for 11 years. Over time he had to use a cane, then a walker, occasionally a wheelchair. "I also help with the MS 150 Bike Tour greeting riders as they come in," he said. Here he's on his scooter doing the 50-mile MS Challenge Walk for the fourth time in 2005.

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* Steve Klaus borrowed a hand cycle for his first MS 150 Bike Tour in 2002. He was hooked. Steve said, "My wife Amanda and I love the cycling and the event. We've ridden in six tours and plan on riding in many more." Here he is at the starting line with Amanda at the Ohio Valley Chapter's Tour de Farms.

Champion against MS

To "put a face on MS," the Champions Against MS program connects people with MS to riders or walkers. A person with MS reaches out to a participant through letter, e-mail, or phone and signs a red bandana which is then worn by the rider or walker during the event. To learn how you can get involved, go to nationalmssociety.org/ champions.

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* Buddy Hayes got inspired to do something when her father was diagnosed with cancer. She had never done a walk event but started to train in her wheelchair and now has several full and half marathons under her belt. She said, "Though my father passed away two years ago, I still race for cancer and now I have time for the Society as well.

"The MS Challenge Walk was one of the best things I've ever done. I was the first person to push my manual wheelchair 50 miles in three days. I hope it inspires people to get out there and get going." Buddy is seen left with her service dog, Ellie, after the Chesapeake Bay MS Challenge Walk.

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* Dona Beth Clark says, "It's exciting to come to MS Walk and Bike Tour events. The reason we have treatments is because of what the walkers and riders do." Here she gives medals to two walkers after the finish.

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* Anita Klopfenstein did her first MS Bike Tour soon after her diagnosis in 1999. "I showed up with my daughter in a tag-along that she could pedal. I've been biking with my family ever since. Our involvement teaches our kids the value of helping others." In 2005, she rode this four-seater with her four adopted kids (three are shown) taking turns.

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* Dale Mennell likes to greet Walk participants with a cooling spritz of water from his mister. He said, "All these people are walking for me because I can't. By volunteering I can do something for them." His straw hat matched the calypso music that was playing at the rest stop.

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* When three of Blake Middleton's friends, in California, Maryland, and Minnesota, signed up for the MS Walk in 2004, he decided to do it too. "Taking an active role empowers me, keeps me motivated and focused on the bigger picture of supporting research and everyone with MS," he said. Below, Blake and his friend Anissa did the MS Walk in Minnesota on May 1 last year. Snow in May? You betcha.

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* For nine years Joe Siana walked in MS Walk events. When walking became difficult, he used a wheelchair. He also volunteered at the MS Bike Tours. "It really means something when you thank the people who participate," he said.

Then Joe got a notion to ride the MS Bike Tour. He spoke to Jeff Beeson, captain of a cycling team. Jeff said, "I had read an article about bike taxis. After research and many donations, we bought one." That's how Joe got the ride "I will never forget" in the Oklahoma 2005 MS 150 Bike Tour. He's in the taxi with Team Skinned Knee member Kevin Burns at the helm.

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* A remarkable bike event was organized on September 24-25, 2005, by a group of U.S. soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division and Task Force Liberty. They rode over 100 miles in Tikrit, Iraq. With unpredictability in their own lives, they wanted to connect to home by helping the MS cause. Here members of Team Danger ride in 100-degree desert heat.

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* Leigh Danby was diagnosed in 2002 and did her first MS Walk the next year. Her whole family joins her. "Emotions are high at the event. You really feel you are doing something important, raising money so eventually no one has to go through this," she said. Here she is with her husband Shawn at the MS Challenge Walk in Washington, DC.

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* Nancy Wolf first volunteered for the MS Walk in 1998 doing registration. Her friends joined the MS Walk and later the MS Bike Tour. "I've benefited from free aquatics classes," Nancy said. "I got a new leg brace through a program funded by the Society. People with MS benefit directly from the funds that are raised. I'm here to let the participants know how their efforts support us." Here she is with her friend Sandy Glaser, captain of Team Wolf Pack.

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To find the schedule of events nearest you, go to nationalmssociety.org or call 1-800-FIGHT-MS. Every chapter has an accessible family-friendly MS Walk route. Every chapter needs volunteers for all MS Walk and Bike Tour events.