Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mountain Valley

Masters has Rory McIlroy. May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS has John McElroy....Augusta tricks up its holes. Mt. Valley has 9 new holes.....The Masters has Tom Watson. We have a wedge signed by Tom Watson.....ESPN & CBS televise the Masters. Dave Schofield will take still pictures of the Sports Reporters Against ALS.

 

Brook Lopez has donated one of his New Jersey Nets #11 autographed game jerseys to the May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mt. Valley. Thanks to George Stoddard for securing this donation.....Baltimore Orioles fans should stay tuned for an exciting donation announcement.

 

Football autographed by Rex Ryan and a sweatshirt signed by Walt Michaels are among the latest items added to the auction/raffle pool for the May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mt. Valley. Thanks to Ray Romano & Mark Cannizzaro for getting the Jets to send the football. Thanks to Danny McGinley for donating the framed sweatshirt.

 

The team of Mitch Rupert (Williamsport Sun-Gazette), Skip Rupert, Dan Hahn, Steve Kreischer became the 17th foursome to pay early entry to the May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mt. Valley. There is still time to pay early and receive $5 each in raffle tickets or auction credit. Contact pascribe@ptd.net for details.

 

Iron Hill Brewery, with several locations in suburban Philly, has donated a prize package for one of the top foursomes in the May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mt. Valley....Also, today word arrived that the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees have donated four tickets to a game.

 

It was not enough for Cal Ripken Jr. to play in his record breaking 2131st consecutive game; he hit a homerun in that game. And he didn't feel it was enough for the May 10 Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing at Mt. Valley to have a 12 x 18 photo of that homerun to auction off. Cal has sent us an autographed baseball and signed copies of his books, "Get In The Game" & "Hothead."...We will accept absentee bids on these items through May 9. Please e-mail bids to: pascribe@ptd.net

 

The Eighth Annual Sports Reporters Against ALS Golf Outing shattered its previous record for participation and money raised when it was played in near-perfect weather May 10 at Mt. Valley Golf Course in Barnesville, PA.
A record field of 131 golfers, plus 40 non-golfers, produced more than $7,000 for three ALS charities, including the ALS Association Philadelphia Chapter which was the biggest recipient with $3,837 sent to Ambler offices after Mt. Valley donated an additional $500. The ALS Research efforts at Hershey Medical Center received $1,893 in the name of the tournament. The Packard Center at Johns Hopkins U received $1,367 including money generated by the raffle of a golf club donated by Tom Watson.
In Addition, Lauren's First & Goal Foundation received $400. Lauren's First & Goal promotes pediatric brain tumor research and was a primary charity of the Reporters' Challenge, the name of the event before fund raising efforts shifted to ALS - related charities in 2008.
The playing field included representatives from media organizations, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, CSN Philly, the Asbury Park Press, the Trentonian, the Allentown Morning Call, WBRE TV 28, the Hazleton Standard Speaker, the Williamsport Sun Gazette, and the Bergen Record.
The Eagles, Jets, Phillies, Ripken Baseball Inc., Maple Grove Raceway, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Reading Phillies, Harrisburg Senators, State College Spikes, Camden RiverSharks, Iowa Cubs, Baltimore Ravens, The NFLPA, Reading Express, and East Stroudsburg University Athletics were among sports organizations that made prize donations.Watson, Paula Creamer, and other pro-athletes also contributed.
The event was started in 2004 by Larry O'Rourke of the Morning Call, WBRE-TV 28 Sportscaster Phil Schoener and Hazleton Standard-Speaker Sportswriter Sam Matta. After O'Rourke was diagnosed with ALS in April 2008, the event's fundraising efforts focused on charities that help fight the rare degerative neurologic condition.

 

I don't know about posting this here, but it's worth noting: My mom passed away from ALS last week after 22 months battling this disease. She was the wrong demographic -- an older woman -- but it didn't matter.

There is no good disease of this significance, and no good way to lose a parent, but this can be an insidious, terrible thing to watch somebody go through. And any money that can go to research to find a cure or any kind of relief is money well spent. Everybody has their causes; this is now one of mine.

The memorial extravaganza, which should be a showstopper in this town, where mom was huge in the music arts scene, is Tuesday. The fewer families who have to go through this in the future, the better.