Remembering Lu Huggins

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Lu and Bob Huggins of Basking Ridge, NJ, would host semiannual parties for Matheny students and patients so they had a chance to experience “what life was like in the real world”. That was the inspiration for Miles for Matheny, which has grown from a small wheelchair walk and cycling ride in 1998 to this year’s 13th edition, which attracted close to 2,000 walkers, wheelchair participants, cyclists, runners and volunteers to its new location, Natirar Park in Peapack.

Lu Huggins died in August 2009, so Miles for Matheny 2010 was held in her honor, with a special dedication ceremony preceding the wheelchair walk. Her brother, sister and two daughters were in attendance and they saluted Lu’s unwavering determination to lead a normal life despite being in a wheelchair. They also thanked Matheny for helping to give her life a special purpose.

For the fifth consecutive year, title sponsor of Miles for Matheny was sanofi-aventis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies whose U.S. corporate headquarters is located in Bridgewater, NJ. Funds raised will help support the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry, which provides medical, dental and therapy care to Matheny inpatients and people with disabilities in the community.