The ALS Association, Greater Sacramento Chapter will host their 10th Anniversary Walk to Defeat ALS at Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats, on Saturday, October 2nd. This marks the first year the event will be held at the West Sacramento venue.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (ALS) often called Lou Gehrig’s disease after the New York Yankee’s baseball great has stricken nearly seven million people worldwide since his diagnoses in 1939. Every 90 minutes someone is told that they have the catastrophic neurodegenerative disease.
“ALS transcends all socio-economic barriers and affects a cross section of the world’s communities with no known cause or cure. Providing hope that a cure or treatment will be found, in the past decade alone the ALS Association has committed nearly $55 million toward research,” said Amy Sugimoto, Executive Director of The ALS Association, Greater Sacramento Chapter.
"The chapter serves 24 counties from the Sierra's to the Oregon border and this event raises about 60 percent of our funds for the year. We are getting close to our goal of $165,000 and hope to reach it on the day of the walks," she said.
The event is free and open to the general public. The Raley Field venue offers two walk routes; a one mile walk along the River Cats stadium perimeter, while a photo tribute plays on the big screen featuring patients who have been impacted by ALS; or a 5K walk across the Tower Bridge into downtown Sacramento, around the State Capitol Building and back to Raley Field.
Says Judy Morgan, Caregiver, “I lost the “love of my Life” to ALS three years ago. Every year since, I have gotten a team together and raised funds to walk in his memory so that hopefully someday we will find a cure, and that no one else has to go through what my husband and family have. Thanks to ALS Sacramento, I am able to give back to help defeat ALS and will continue to do so.”
“I think that when people wonder about participating in an ALS Walk, they might imagine it to be some sort of ‘Death March.’ On the contrary, the ALS Walk is one of the most powerful, inspiring, motivating, embracing, loving events I've ever seen.” Cathy Speck, ALS Patient.
Here's just a summary of the day's events:
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., 400 Ballpark Drive, Raley Field.
Breakfast courtesy of LaBou & Coca-Cola runs from 9-11 a.m.
Live entertainment is provided by ‘Duval and Speck’ at 9:30 a.m. and Hardwater at 11:15.
Walks begin at 11:00 a.m.
Grand Prize Giveaways at 1:00 p.m. (See donation drive below)
Kids will enjoy lots of fun activities including face painting and photos with the River Cats mascot “Dinger”. There will also be vendors on hand.
Never Give Up Hope Donation Drive:
The ALS Association, Greater Sacramento Chapter is holding a $10 donation drive. Visit www.walktodefeatals.org to make a contribution and have a chance to win dozens of prizes valued at $50 or more and grand prizes including a 42” LG Plasma big screen TV, Thomas Kincade Canvas, or $500 in cash. For each $10 worth of donation you’ll receive one entry in the drawing. Winners will be announced at 1:00 p.m. at Raley Field but you need not be present to win.
For more information contact Amy Sugimoto at (916) 979-9265 or visit www.alssac.org.
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