The Naugatuck girl and a big group of her friends and family took part in the recent American Diabetes Association's fundraiser, Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes at Lake Compounce.
Readel, who was diagnosed with diabetes in early September, said she wanted people to know that a cure is close and that diabetics are just like anyone else.
"Anybody who gets it, they have nothing different about them," said Readel, adding that diabetics can run marathons if they want, or do just about anything other people do.
What Readel's been doing is walking in fundraisers. She and her supporters went to a recent one in Litchfield, she said, raising $1,500. For the one at Lake Compounce, her 42-member team, Alanna's Angels, raised $2,000.
They had plenty of company at the nation's oldest amusement park.
The Glucose Goblins, which fit right into the Halloween theme at the amusement park, included a herd of boys who came out in support of their friend, 11-year-old Chris Connolly of Glastonbury, who has diabetes.
"It's cool and fun," said Nick Cramer, 11, of Rocky Hill.
Kyle Keenan, 11, also of Rocky Hill, said Connolly is on his hockey team.
Connolly said he liked the support from his friends and was looking forward to going through the Haunted Graveyard at the park.
Bob Smith, executive director of the Connecticut office of the American Diabetes Association, said 500 people were signed up for the walk, which was rescheduled because of terrible weather last weekend.
The drizzle on the day of the event probably kept some people away, said Smith, "but it's still better than the weather last week."
And most of those who registered showed up.
"All things considered, this is an inspirational turnout," Smith said. "The vast majority braved the elements tonight to come here."
By the time most walkers were finished, the skies had cleared up, but the park remained spooky. Skeletons and tombstones decorated the grounds, which were kept mostly dark in keeping with the mood. Costumed ghouls wandered all around the park, and in a little "cemetery" near kiddieland, a crowd watched as a group of about 15 monsters and other Haunted Graveyard characters boogied in unison to the thumping beat of Michael Jackson's "Thriller."
The fundraising goal this year was $100,000, said Smith, and before counting any money that came in Friday, they had $65,000.
Smith said he couldn't guess whether the fundraiser met the goal or not. Last year, they raised $75,000, he said, but the weather was better and the economy was, too.
Team ESPN, numbering 50 people, raised more than $13,000, said team captain Tom Lavan, whose 5-year-old son Aiden has diabetes.
"We've got such good support here," said his wife and co-captain, Melissa Lavan.
Lori Quessy of Bristol led a five-member team. A diabetic who lost her father and grandfather to complications of the disease, Quessy said it was her first time at a diabetes walk and she was glad to be there.
Her team raised $200.
"Any little bit helps," she said.
Dr. Leonard Banco, a physician and the chief medical officer at Bristol Hospital, which had a team of more than 60 people, said treatment of diabetes has come a long way since he was a practicing pediatrician 30 years ago.
Today, Banco said, there are better medicines, real time blood sugar monitoring and insulin pumps to make life better for diabetics.
But Banco said there is an "epidemic" of Type 2 diabetes, which is even striking children now.
"There's still work to be done," Banco said.
Bristol Mayor Art Ward, a diabetic who chaired the event last year, welcomed all the walkers from his city and elsewhere.
"For the rest of the evening, you're Bristolites," Ward said.
The mayor said support for the cause has been "phenomenal."
"The people of Bristol are caring and they're compassionate," said Ward.
Dave Reckdenwald of Watertown, came along with his wife, who works at Bristol Hospital. He said the walk was for a good cause and gave him a chance to see Lake Compounce again.
"We figured it would be a nice walk around the park," said Reckdenwald.