On January 5, 2000, BWZA's CEO Bruce W. Zimmerman was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He succumbed to ALS on March 28, 2002. What is ALS? Also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a progressive fatal neuromuscular disorder that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons, among the largest of all nerve cells, reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to muscles throughout the body. When these motor neurons die, as with ALS, the ability of the brain to start and control muscle movement fails. Simple voluntary movement in one's arms, hands and legs, as well as speaking, swallowing and breathing, eventually become impossible. With all voluntary muscle action affected, patients in the later stages of ALS are totally paralyzed, yet their minds remain unaffected. To date, over 60 years since Lou Gehrig's death from ALS, there is no known cause, prevention, or cure for ALS.

 

The ALS Association (www.alsa.org) is only national not-for-profit, voluntary health organization dedicated solely to finding the cause and cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It carries out its mission at the national level and through its nationwide network of chapters and support/resource groups. We ask that you please support the ALS Association.

 

The ALSA Chapter is a multi-faceted grass roots organization that carries out the Association's mission and strategic goals at the community level. ALSA Chapters are registered within their own states as non-profit corporations and are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. ALSA Chapters come under the umbrella of The ALS Association as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. ALSA Chapters provide services free of charge to people with ALS and their families within their designated service areas.

 

To learn more about ALS or The Association, please contact us at 717-657-6240 or any or all of the organizations below: National ALS Association www.alsa.org ALS Association - Greater Philadelphia Chapter www.alsphiladelphia.org Muscular Dystrophy Association www.mdausa.org

 

Throughout the first several months of 2001, Scott Zimmerman and Jody Laverty had the privilege and honor of chairing the Harrisburg area's first ever Walk to D'Feet ALS. By all measures, the Walk was an overwhelming success! So many people contributed their precious time, energy and resources to help organize and conduct this special event for the benefit of Persons with ALS (PALS) and their families. We can't thank them enough. Jim Pinciotti, Executive Director of the ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter, expressed our sentiments so eloquently in his thank you letter to our sponsors.

 

To learn more about the Walk to D'Feet ALS, please contact us or the ALS Association's Greater Philadelphia Chapter at  www.als-phila.org/dfeet.html.