By Paul-Andre Walker

FORMER Antigua and Barbuda cricketer and footballer, Ralston Otto, has struggled with Parkinson’s Disease for the last four years and at the end of January, there is a walk planned to raise funds to raise awareness.

The walk is scheduled to take place on January 26, and another former Leeward Islands cricketer, Zorol Barthley, is asking those who come out to contribute wholeheartedly.

“We’re not looking at a distribution of shirts, we’re not looking at a breakfast at the end and I think the most we’re looking to offer at the end of this walk is some water which would obviously be donated and those discussions are being had.

It’s a fundraising walk; it’s a walk that’s coming from the heart so it’s not one where people are looking to get back,” said Barthley.

“We’re looking to ask people to make a $20 contribution for the walk, give more if you can and even if you can’t afford the $20 then you give what you can,” he said.

Barthley has liked the response to the initiative to date, saying the plans for the event have had to be catching up with the support for it.

“We’re almost working in reverse to get everything put together because of the outpouring of support that has come in from as far afield as Montserrat and even Anguilla where people there have asked: “Can we simultaneously host a walk on our own in support of Ralston?,” he said.

“On the ground, it has been tremendous and so what we have decided is that instead of having one route like assembling at the ARG and walking to Sir Viv, we want to open it up to the general public and we want to open it up to the interest groups and people interested around the country where you’d get in contact with us and say that in your community and your area, you’re going to walk from say, St. Stephen’s Church in Glanvilles,” he said.

Otto played 48 first-class matches from 1979 to 1990, ending with a batting average of 34, while he played 29 List A games, ending with a 26.75 batting average.

Otto’s highest first-class score is 165, while he only managed a best of 55 in his List A career. (Sportsmax.com)