WARWICK, RI – May 19, 2008 — The ALS Association Rhode Island Chapter’s 12th Annual “Evening of Hope” event will be held on Thursday, June 12th, 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, Grand Ballroom in Warwick. This year, URI Professor of Economics Dr. Yngve Ramstad will be honored with the Chapter’s “Brian Dickinson Courage Award” in memory of Providence Journal columnist Brian Dickinson, for his determination to “live” a productive and meaningful life despite the devastating challenges of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Although Brian lost his battle with ALS six years ago, the “Courage Award”, named in his honor, helps us remember Brian’s heroic fight against the disease.
Former Rhode Island Governor, The Honorable Lincoln Almond, will be the recipient of the Chapter’s prestigious “Spirit of Lou Gehrig Award.” This award was created in 2002 to recognize the outstanding achievement of individuals, not personally affected by ALS, who have brought a greater awareness to the impact of this horrific disease and who have helped the ALS Association further the cause.
URI President Dr. Robert Carothers is joining the effort as Honorary Event Chair, and URI Deputy Director of Athletics Gregg Burke is the event’s Planning Committee Chair.
The June 12th event will start at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, music and a silent auction. The dinner, speaking program, live auction and award ceremony will follow at 7 p.m. For ticket information, please call the ALS Association – R. I. Chapter at (401) 732-1609, or link here for the complete program invitation.
Sports marketing author, practitioner and educator, Dan Migala, will also be in attendance as the event’s keynote speaker. Migala, author of “The Migala Report”, has just released his newest book “Dugout Wisdom”, a collection of amazing stories and life-changing moments as told by some of baseball’s greatest players, now retired. Stories from such greats as Wade Boggs, Tony LaRussa, Ferguson Jenkins and Mike Schmidt, are featured, to name a few.
An “Evening of Hope” was created in 1997 to raise awareness and funds for the local Chapter of the ALS Association. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive deterioration of the motor cells in the spinal cord and brain. Most ALS patients succumb to the disease within two to five years from diagnosis. It is the mission of the Rhode Island Chapter to provide comprehensive services to local ALS patients and families and support ALS research to find a treatment and cure. Local patient and family services provided by the RI Chapter include patient advocacy, home visits, respite care, support groups, handicapped transportation, equipment loans and multidisciplinary medical care at the Chapter sponsored Louise Wilcox ALS Clinic in Providence.
For more information, contact Nancy Feroldi, Executive Director, ALS Association – Rhode Island Chapter, 2915 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886, PHONE: (401) 732-1609.