Fundraiser goes all in to fight ALS

The first "All in for ALS" fundraiser will be held later this month to aid those in the community suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The event — which includes a tennis tournament, walk-a-thon, and raffle — is being held Saturday, May 27 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Sandpoint’s Travers Park. All proceeds are going to the ALS Evergreen Chapter to provide support to those in the community suffering from ALS.

This fundraiser got its start on the tennis courts of Sandpoint when a group of women was looking for ways to provide support for their tennis friend who has lived and worked here in Sandpoint for more than 30 years and who is now suffering from ALS.

ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control and the disease gets progressively worse over time. ALS is often called Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it. The exact cause is still unknown and there is no cure for this fatal disease.

“Our dear friend has done so much for this community in regards to her nursing career where she helped so many others who were sick, as well as raised two beautiful daughters here, so we wanted this event to not only honor her and her achievements but also bring the community together for a good cause,” said friend Carol Curtis.

All event planning expenses and prizes are being covered by donations from local businesses as well as others in the community.

Community residents are invited to join the walk-a-thon around Travers Park at any point during the fundraiser and complete as many laps as desired. The tennis tournament will be a point-based quick game format called Fast Four. It’s a 32-player maximum so those interested are encouraged to register before space runs out. The cost is $50 for the tennis tournament and $20 for walking ($30 for a family).

T-shirts will be handed out to participants and additionally, multiple raffle baskets will be given away during the event. Donations can be made online or in person via cash or check.

Learn more about ALL IN FOR ALS at https://bit.ly/44wJUU4.