The gorgeous weather was a gift to participants in several charitable events Saturday in Lawrence.

Approximately 200 walkers participated in MS Walk 2006 around downtown and Kansas University to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. They managed to raise $21,400, said Leni Salkind, a co-chairwoman for the walk with Deb Rake.

“I’m happy with it. It’s hard because we don’t spend a lot of money on publicity,” Salkind said.

Also on Saturday morning, more than 100 people participated in To the River and Back for the Lawrence Community Nursery School, volunteer and event co-chairwoman Shelli Ulmer said. The 5K and 10K runs, a pancake feed and open house, will probably give the nursery school about $2,000 to help it serve its current 65 families, treasurer Lori Johns said.

“Our registration table was just packed with people,” Ulmer said.

About 100 people attended the Life Support Rally for the Headquarters Counseling Center, said Tami Clark, the center’s volunteer coordinator.

Some participants hit the trails for either a 6-mile, 12-mile, 36-mile or 50-mile bicycle ride. Most were also treated to a Chicken Chuckin’ Contest.

Six teams were allowed to build a catapult and launch a rubber chicken at a small, plastic swimming pool. The winning team shot its poultry 46 feet and still hit the target, Clark said.

“We had several people walking by and asking about that, so I think we’ll have more entries next year,” she said.

A total that the event raised was unavailable on Saturday because they still had to add in other funding, Clark said. The event raised about $3,000 a year ago, she said.

Kansas University women’s basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson and the Jayhawks signed autographs for the 75 walkers in the first Lawrence Arthritis Walk Saturday morning at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center.

Henrickson is the spokeswoman for the Arthritis Foundation in Kansas. Lawrence walkers raised about $8,070 with some donations still coming in, said Patty Dick of the foundation.

Biologist Kelly Kindscher, of the Kansas Biological Survey, was also awarded the 2006 Imagination & Place Environmental Award Friday evening at the Lawrence Arts Center. Kindscher won for his efforts with land conservation.

He is president of the Kansas Land Trust.

Imagination & Place is group of artists, environmental professionals, activists and scholars based at the arts center.