COEUR d’ALENE — Every day, at universities and hospitals around the country, they’re working for a cure.

Scientists, doctors, brilliant minds moving in brilliant ways, all searching for one pill, one shot that will destroy amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) forever.

But it all starts with money — for clinical trials, for time-consuming studies, for machines and drugs and everything else. Money is the key.

“When you watch somebody you love very much slowly deteriorate ... it’s important to have the community come together to fight,” said Sheryl Trenhaile of Post Falls.

And fight they did on Saturday at Riverstone Park, where 275 participants turned out for the second Walk to Defeat ALS, better known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” With all proceeds benefiting the ALS Association Evergreen Chapter, walkers raised $51,371 — funds that will go toward aggressive research and local patient care.

The walk meandered along a 3-mile course near the Spokane River.

Trenhaile and many others volunteered Saturday. She wanted to remember former Hayden police chief Jason Felton, who died from ALS in August of 2008.

“We’re just trying to keep his memory alive,” Trenhaile said. “He was an incredible human being, an incredible friend, father.”

Jason Felton’s stepdaughter, Nikole Cummings, was the event chair. Her brother, Bryan, and Jason’s son, Jared, also volunteered at the event. Nikole said the original goal was $25,000, but the walk far exceeded her expectations.

“We doubled (attendance) this year,” Cummings said. “If you’ve ever been affected by ALS, or anybody you know, it’s so horrible and there is no cure, and the only thing you can do is be there for each other.”

According to the ALS Association, an estimated 30,000 Americans may be living with the disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. One person is diagnosed with ALS every 90 seconds.

Les Burton, 60, was diagnosed on April 7, 2008. As the event’s honored family chair, he cut a red ribbon to start the walk, then traveled part of the course in his electric wheelchair.

“I thought (the walk) was really wonderful,” he said. “Lot of support. I am amazed at the amount of people that showed up, and the overall enthusiasm.”

Burton and his wife, Mary, live in St. Maries. His buddies from the Northwest Classic Motorcycle Club built him a wheelchair-accessible house, which he recently moved into. Mary and many of the bikers were on hand Saturday to support Burton.

“It’s very heartwarming to see the extended families,” he said. “As a group we’re all like an extended family. We support each other, and we draw strength from each. Meet all these people and it helps center everything, lets you know you’re not alone.”

The top individual fundraiser at the Walk to Defeat ALS was Michelle Mooney, who collected $460. In the corporate category, Great Basin Gold raised almost $14,000, and Hecla Mining Company brought in $19,505.

Teams from Hecla, Great Basin, Cementation, USA and Dynamic Drilling all walked for Cindy Moore, 50, who was diagnosed with ALS in July. She worked 14 years for Hecla.

“With this disease I think you need support,” Moore said. “(The Evergreen Chapter) already started helping me in little ways — training, support groups, all sorts of stuff. I couldn’t imagine going through this without somebody. The weather turned out perfectly for (the walk), too. It was a great day.”

Sponsored by American Seating and Mobility in Post Falls, Parker Toyota in Coeur d’Alene, Wells Fargo Bank and other in-kind companies, the walk was one of 150 that take place throughout the nation. The Evergreen Chapter’s Spokane office aids over 20 ALS patients in North Idaho, plus an additional 23 in Spokane proper.

Bryan Cummings realized the importance of the event. He had watched his stepfather fight the unwinnable battle against Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

“We’re just going to keep on doing it every year,” Felton said. “More support we get, maybe one day people won’t have to die from this. That’s our goal. That’s what we need is support. Not just people who are affected — we need everybody to show up.”