A colorful view of Coca Cola Field about 30 minutes before the start of Walk MS 2012. The sunshine and warm, spring temperatures meant it was going to be a very good day. Western New York has one of the highest rates of MS in the country. In Erie County alone, some 2,000 people live with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous symptoms with unpredictable symptoms.

The National MS Society had predicted a turnout of about 1600 walkers signing in, but the fine weather brought an encouraging sign there might be more. Money raised goes to support local patient services and funds research into treatments and, ultimately, a cure for MS.

As soon as I arrived I was re-acquainted with a dynamic wife and mother I have talked to previously at the MS Walks. As you can see from her shirt, she was diagnosed with MS in August of 2008. There have been many ups and downs since then, but she told me this past year has been a good, stable year for her.

Many of the walking teams gather around the tent area at the rear of Coca Cola Field, waiting for the announcements before we kickoff Walk MS. Guy and Sue Berberich's team, "Paving the Way to a Cure," raised an astounding $21,075!

It is a tradition for teams to gather on the hill next to the stadium for group photos. Note the back of the shirt in the foreground of this photo. Almost everybody walks with a special person in mind and they write it on their shirt.

I walk for Joey Marra of Niagara County. Joey, diagnosed with MS at age 8, is believed to by the youngest person to receive this diagnosis in WNY. He is now 15 and works extremely hard to maintain his schoolwork and activities, even in the face of painful, unpredictable symptoms.

The first time this team, the Motley Crew, has walked together -- and theirs is a bittersweet story. They are walking in memory of wife, mother, daughter, and friend, Patricia Amato of North Tonawanda. Patricia lived with MS for many years, but was killed in a car accident near the UB campus on February 11, 2012.

Wendy Cannon and the Medina MS'keteers are enthusiastic supporters each year of Walk MS.

Gina Bienko of Buffalo has lived with MS for seven years. I interviewed her for News 4 and she told me she is optimistic researchers will find a cure for MS and she is grateful for all the Walk MS support that provides dollars for research.

Sandy LaSpada of Lockport lives with MS and maintains a sunny outlook, as you can see by the fun hat. Sandy's team, "Smurfs," raised the second highest total of the day - $10,839!

I was pleased to offer words of encouragement, and some last-minute instructions, to the walkers as they were ready to hit the streets at 10 AM. I believe it's always important to say 'thank you,' because we don't seem to do that enough!

State Sen. Mark Grisanti (R-60th Dist.), spoke to the crowd about joining a statewide alliance of legislators who are working on MS-related issues. Grisanti's brother, Richard, has lived with MS for more than 25 years.

An uplifting view of the crowd as we were ready to start Walk MS 2012. In more than 25 years of volunteering with the National MS Society, I've seen MS treatments go from almost nothing, to several choices today, and there are more in the pipeline. Every donation has meaning in this fight to find a cure.

Walk MS 2012 gets underway as teams follow the specially marked routes that will take them down to the waterfront and back.

Leah Sarzyniak of Wheatfield, and Arianna Warriner of North Tonawanda, are starting early in learning more about multiple sclerosis.

One of our most reliable teams comes from Silver Creek. Warden's Walkers participate each year in support of Rich Warden, a former race car driver, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 15 years ago.

Two dynamic volunteers for the MS Society, Irene Ponce of Buffalo, and Kimberly Gervase of Depew.

It's become a recent tradition to sign Savannah Negron's shirt. She's only 8, but this young volunteer from Cheektowaga has turned out for the past four years at Walk MS.

Jayne Spell is a volunteer who welcomed walkers as they arrived at Coca Cola Field and told me she wants to do more and more to support the MS Society. She hosted a spaghetti dinner at her church and raised $800. Her husband was diagnosed with MS in 2004.

All participants were invited to sign the MS banner with their individual messages about fighting MS.

Students from the New York Institute of Massage were providing relief to volunteers as they completed Walk MS.

I met my name twin. I'm Jacquie Walker of News Four Buffalo and she is Jackie Walker of Buffalo!

Kathy and Don Pfeifer of Lancaster walked in honor of their son, Drew, who has MS. The Pfeifers are on the Executive Committee of familiestouchedbyms.org, a local charitable group which works to provide equipment and other needs to those with MS.

This is how some participants finished Walk MS 2012 -- being cheered on by Pharmacy student volunteers from D'Youville College. Cheers to all who joined the effort!

About 550 people turned out at the Adam's Mark Hotel Saturday night for the 20th Annual Make-A-Wish Gala. Over the past 20 years, the organization has granted the wishes of 2,000 children with life-changing medical conditions.

I was pleased to serve as emcee, filling in for Larry Norton, for the 20th Annual Make-A-Wish Gala which raised an astounding $345,000 to grant the wishes of sick children.

A highlight of the 20th Annual Make-A-Wish Gala on Saturday night saw members of the Wendelville Fire Company escort Wish Kids Jonathan and Connor onto the stage at the Adam's Mark Hotel. It was Jonathan and Connor's wish to ride a firetruck -- and their wish was granted!

Wish Kids Jonathan and Connor love to dress as Buzz Lightyear and a Firefighter, as you can see.

Larry Norton of 97Rock was honored during the Gala for his 17 years of steadfast support for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is credited with helping raise more than 2 million dollars for Make-A-Wish over the past 17 years.

Larry Norton of 97Rock was conducting an auction to raise money for Make-A-Wish during the cocktail hour before dinner. He never stops!

I interviewed Anthony Habib, chair of the Gala, for News 4 on Saturday night. He told me he hoped the event raised $300,000 dollars. By the end of the night, he happily told the crowd they had raised $345,000 to grant the wishes of sick children in WNY! Habib is President of Petri Bakery products and announced that beginning June 1st Petri and Tops Markets will donate $1.50 from every specially marked box of Petri cookies to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I ran into Bills kicker Rian Lindell as he was meeting Javier. We learned that Javier has had his wish granted to see Alaska.

Bills kicker Rian Lindell and I enjoyed meeting 18 year old Javier who wanted to talk about his Make-A-Wish experience in the Alaskan wilderness.

It was a successful evening for Make-A-Wish raising $345,000, honoring Larry Norton, and celebrating children with magical dreams. And the event was capped with music from the "Boys of Summer," native WNYers who've been playing together for 20 years.

Even though he works until midnight, Chief Meteorologist Don Paul has been coming in at 9:30am each day this week to prepare for News 4's conversion to a new computer system for displaying weather graphics. Keith Cavey, from Weather Central in Madison, Wisconsin, is a meteorologist who trains other meteorologists around the country on the 'Fusion' system.

Chief Meteorologist Don Paul and Weather Central trainer Keith Cavey tell me the 'Fusion' system will provide News 4 viewers with the most advanced weather graphics in Western New York. It has the ability to show viewers the weather where they live.

Meteorologist Bryan Shaw has spent many, many days working to convert the Fusion graphics into appropriate use for Western New York weather. We'll all see it tonight at 5 for the first time with Meteorologist Don Paul. I don't mind telling you, he's a little nervous about this, but we are cheering him on!

You should be seeing a Public Service Announcement on Channel 4 that this happy crew recorded last week in the News 4 studios. We want you to join Walk MS 2012 to help raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research and local patient programs.

I will be walking again this year on behalf Joey Marra, seen here on the left. Joey -- who is inspirational! -- is with his brother, Jacob, and his mother Carole. Joey, now age 15, was diagnosed at age 8. He is believed to be the youngest person in Western New York to be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Sandy Laspada of Lockport, was diagnosed with MS in 2002. She leads a large team of walkers in Walk MS called Team Smurfs!

Maria Torres, fluent in Spanish, has become an outspoken advocate working to raise awareness of MS in the local Hispanic community. Maria was diagnosed with MS just two years ago. She has plans to host a neighborhood cook-out to get the word out about MS on the day before Walk MS 2012.

Christy Missico (in the coat) was on hand for the recording session representing the National MS Society. Christy is organizing the big Walk MS 2012 in Buffalo on May 6th at Coca Cola Field.

Once again this year the Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty Ministry (UPOP) celebrated Women's History Month by honoring the good work of women from all walks of life in Buffalo

More than 500 people turned out at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on Friday night for an awards dinner which raised money for college scholarships for local women.

The President and Founder of UPOP Ministry, Ms. Nellie King, presents $1,000 scholarships to Morgan Taylor and Atasia Galloway

Thirty women from the Buffalo-area were honored at the dinner for 'touching our world' with their accomplishments at home, at work, and in the community.

Atasia Galloway of Buffalo State College and Morgan Taylor of University at Buffalo each won a $1,000 scholarship from UPOP Ministry.

Atasia Galloway and Morgan Taylor were scholarship winners honored at the UPOP Ministry awards dinner. Each young woman gave a speech outlining her plans and hopes for the future.

It was my pleasure helping to present the honorees with their awards. These are women of strong faith, dedicated to their families and this community.

Each tour is led by a well-trained and well-versed volunteer. Visitors are from all over the world!

The tour of the house begins with a compelling video about the relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Darwin Martin - an executive with the Larkin Soap Company.

Our tour guide told us: "You are welcome to take photos anywhere that doesn't have a roof!"

The Burchfield Penney Art Center is less than ten minutes from the Darwin Martin House. Open since 2008, it stands in striking, modern contrast to the historic Darwin Martin house. Paid admission is required. There is a fantastic gift shop of hand-crafted Buffalo-themed gift items inside.

Why was I intrigued by this unfinished, untitled, narrative painting on a paper roll by Jackie Felix? It features two dinosaurs racing toward a television displaying a woman's talking head. Hmmmm...

If you are tuned in to sound, check out the full room devoted to Harald Bode. This one-time resident of North Tonawanda developed electronic musical instruments, the modular synthesizer, and much more. You can listen to his tones, sounds, and music in an unusual audio exhibit.

This life-sized chess game is entitled: 'World Peace'

Amid concerns that the Hostess Company may go under and take time-tested Twinkies with it, I wanted to capture the memory for my son -- who has had exactly one Twinkie in his life! This is part of a playful exhibit about food in what's called the "Edible Complex."

Al Vaughters first reported during News 4 at Noon that a male Silverback Gorilla had been contained in the Gorilla House at the Buffalo Zoo and was tranquilized.

News 4's Luke Moretti reported that a female zookeeper, who was bitten by the gorilla, made good decisions that kept the situation from escalating into a more dangerous situation.

Zoo President and CEO Dr. Donna Fernandes told us the Zoo's emergency plan worked well. Now her team will investigate how the gorilla made his way through an unlocked door.

Delaware Park outside the Buffalo Zoo was absolutely alive with walkers, runners, strollers, and traffic on this warm, pleasant Monday evening on the last full day of winter 2012!

News 4's Luke Moretti, Al Vaughters and I delivered separate reports from outside the Zoo for News 4 at 5, 5:30 and 6 on Monday evening. We had the added benefit of eyewitness reports from two News 4 employees who happened to be visiting the Zoo with their children during the gorilla incident.

We reported that there were no serious injuries during the brief time that a gorilla escaped into a zookeeper's aisle, which kept him contained in the Gorilla House. The Zoo is back open for visitors on Tuesday.

Jacquie Walker with renowned saxophonist Bobby Militello in the Italian restaurant he owns with his longtime love and partner, Lisa Taravella.

Lisa Taravella's Cassata Cake from her family recipe.

Here's the one carat diamond donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by Todd Scanlon of Scanlon Jewelers.

These are the five finalists to win the diamond at random. Contestant number four, Eric Zaczek of Niagara Falls, won the diamond and immediately proposed to his girlfriend, Charis Gatas of Tonawanda. She said yes in front of the whole ballroom!

I was happy to emcee the 20th Annual Diamond Ball -- which was a sell-out this year and raised a record 225,000 dollars for the fight against blood-related cancers.

21 year old David Shelberg is a UB Sociology major and a leukemia survivor. We've posed for a picture at the Diamond Ball for about 15 years now. He is proof of the progress in leukemia research!

2012 Service to Mankind honoree Dennis Dintino along with his wife, Susan, and daughter Krista, appeared on News 4 Saturday evening.

The mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease and Myeloma, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. I was proud to be the 1999 Service to Mankind honoree.

Past Chapter President and 2001 Service to Mankind honoree Rich Ryan introduced Dennis Dintino as the 2012 Service to Mankind honoree.

A dozen leukemia survivors come to the stage in silence and present the Service to Mankind honoree with a rose -- thanking him for his support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A very special moment as Krista, who was diagnosed with leukemia exactly one year ago, presented a rose to her father, Dennis Dintino.

Dennis Dintino, 2012 Service to Mankind honoree, delivered a heartfelt and riveting account of his family's painful, but inspiring, odyssey ever since daughter Krista was diagnosed with leukemia one year ago.

Leukemia survivors leave the stage after the Service to Mankind rose presentation. The Society makes a donation toward leukemia research in tribute to the Honoree, rather than giving an expensive plaque or trophy.

Dennis Dintino, President & CEO of Hazmat Environmental Group and Kenworth of Buffalo, NY., is the 2012 Service to Mankind honoree. He had many family members at the Diamond Ball including his wife, Susan, and his daughter, Krista, who is in remission from leukemia.