Total energies calculated from explicitly correlated wave functions for the ground state of the atoms Li to Sr and their singly charged anions and cations are obtained. Accurate all electron, non-relativistic Variational and Diffusion Monte Carlo energies are reported. The quality of the results, when comparing with exact estimations and experimental electron affinities and ionization potential is similar for all of the atoms studied. The parameterization of the explicitly correlated wave functions for all of the atomic systems studied is provided. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.