They came, they walked and they won.

On Sept. 27, the Respiratory Therapy Club participated in the Hospice Walk to help raise money for the St. John’s Hospice. Ten people, made up of Missouri Southern students and faculty, or friends and family, walked five miles, along with all the other schools who participated.

A trophy was given to the school that raised the most money. For the past three years, Jasper High School was the recipient of the award.

With $472 raised in its first year of participating, the club brought the award home to Southern.

Glenda Pippin, respiratory therapy program coordinator, said the walk was done to fulfill a requirement for the club members.

“That was one of the community service projects they decided on this year,” Pippin said.

The club tries to do three projects per year. Other projects have included health fairs and a respiratory week.

Kristal LaPlant, senior respiratory therapy major, participated in the walk. She said it was easy to raise money for the organization. People were very willing to help her.

“I felt like I had support for raising money,” LaPlant said. “For our first year, I think it was a success.”

LaPlant thought people were willing to give money because they could relate to the hospice’s function. The hospice takes care of patients who have six months or less to live.

They do so in the comfort of the patient’s own home. This requires a lot of money.

The group did not go into the event with a goal, but Pippin said they have set one for next year. She said they just want to raise more money than this year. They also want to pull in more walkers.

“That’ll be our goal for next year,” she said. “My goal was just to participate.”

Pippin said she hopes to make this an annual event for the club.

At the event, walkers were also given “memory balloons” of loved ones that had passed away. After the event, a barbecue was held with door prizes.