Annual ALS Association Rhode Island Chapter’s Walk reports their “best year ever,” said John Pagliarini, RI Chapter president. “Thanks in part to our community’s heightened awareness to the devastating disease generated by the recent ice bucket challenge phenomena.”

He said the success is attributable to ALS families’ dedication and strong show of support for the local chapter, combined with the generosity of still others inspired by the Ice Bucket Challenge. As a result, both the numbers of walkers participating and the number of donations given for this year’s walk grew in leaps and bounds. More than 750 attended and more than $135,000 in proceeds have been received thus far, and this total is expected to continue to grow.

This year’s walk offered not only the traditional activities of lively music, a bounce house, a huge raffle, plus the United Healthcare Health E. Hound and the LaSalle cheerleading and

football teams, but also provided additional excitement and lots of fun with the Greenwood Fire Department’s water truck spouting ice-cold water for a unique twist on getting soaked that drew in kids of all ages.

The Walk to Defeat ALS®, a National ALS Association Signature Event, was created in efforts to raise ALS awareness and funds for the local chapters 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. 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.

The event ended on a high note with Walk Emcee, WPRI/12 News anchor Mike Montecalvo, taking the Ice Bucket Challenge live in an effort to keep the ALS awareness momentum going strong. The tremendous success of this year’s Walk to Defeat ALS proved to be the perfect ending to a record-breaking local Walk and the incredible year for the ALS Association and its network of chapters. It will help sustain the renewed hope to people living with ALS that a treatment and the allusive cure for ALS will soon be found.