In the Dugout is the quarterly newsletter for the LiveLikeLou Foundation and brings an inside look at the incredible work of our volunteers and researchers, to share how our funds help us leave ALS better than we found it, in honor of our namesake and baseball hall of famer Lou Gehrig, and the more than 20,000 people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) every day.
In just a few short weeks, May kicks off ALS Awareness Month. In May 1992, a resolution was passed by the United States Senate to appoint May as National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month. It is LiveLikeLou's hope to use this month to bring awareness to the cause of ALS, the need for more funds and investment in research for treatments and a cure for the disease, and to celebrate the heroes among us who have faced ALS with the determination and courage of Lou Gehrig.
Nominate your ALS Hero today and watch LiveLikeLou's social media for profiles of inspiration, hope, and gratitude during the month of May.
Mark your calendar for Monday, May 2, 2022, for our inaugural LiveLikeLou Giving Day and the start of ALS Awareness Month in May.
LiveLikeLou's Giving Day is on May 2 for a reason—on the morning of May 2, 1939, before the start of a two-game series in Detroit against the Tigers, Lou Gehrig benched himself. Since the start of spring training the month before, Lou knew something was wrong. He had written letters to Louisville Slugger asking for lighter and lighter bats. But Yankees manager Joe McCarthy didn't want to be the one to tell Lou to sit out and end his consecutive games streak of 2,130 on May 1, 1939.
So on May 2, 2022, 83 years after that fateful day, we'll #doitforlou, and raise funds necessary to support ALS families, fund research for treatments and cures, and to continue to bring awareness to this 100 percent fatal disease—and it's not that ALS isn't curable, it's just under-funded. Consider supporting LiveLikeLou Giving Day with a tax-deductible gift of any size.
Just over one-hundred years ago on April 10, Lou Gehrig initiated into Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at Columbia University. While his life was cut short by ALS, his determination, gratitude, and courage in the face of adversity inspired our efforts to LiveLikeLou.
In 2018 Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the grassroots organization LiveLikeLou, founded by Phi Delt Brother Neil Alexander, joined forces to launch the LiveLikeLou Foundation.
Without the help of Lou's Fraternity brothers, LiveLikeLou wouldn't be where it is today. Thank you, Phi Delts, for leaving ALS better than you found it!
As an organization fueled by our vision to leave ALS better than we found it and with hundreds of volunteers throughout North America giving of their time, talent, and determination to serve ALS families, we're excited to celebrate National Volunteer Week from April 17–23. Keep an eye on our social media accounts to learn more about the service our volunteers provide to ALS families, the dedication of committee members in developing and promoting our programs, and in advancing the LiveLikeLou mission as trustees on our board. And read on in this newsletter for a few stories on some of our volunteers!
Our LiveLikeLou All-Star volunteer for this issue is Connor Kastner from the Georgia Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at the University of Georgia. Connor has always enjoyed volunteering and after joining Phi Delta Theta he knew that he “wanted to be a substantial part of what we do in the community.” Connor is now the philanthropy chairman for the chapter and enjoys getting his brothers involved in helping families clean up their yards or put-up holiday decorations. “I’ve created so many memories with my brothers and the members of the families that are very fond to me.” He is double majoring in finance and risk management and insurance with a minor in Spanish. He hopes to become a financial advisor. When he isn’t in class or volunteering his time with LiveLikeLou, you can find Connor hiking, kayaking, or seeing live music. LiveLikeLou is lucky to have Connor volunteering to serve ALS families and make a difference for so many.
Get your peanuts ready, we're headed to a ballpark near you in June! Major League Baseball's second annual Lou Gehrig Day is June 2, 2022, and you can find your favorite LiveLikeLou and Phi Delta Theta friends in several cities throughout the month bringing awareness to the cause of ALS and celebrating all that Lou Gehrig did in the face of this terrible disease. We'll be part of honoring three incredible MLB players with the presentation of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, and we'd love for you to join us! Watch our social media for more information on how you can join us at a home game for the:
If you'd like to be the first to know details on LiveLikeLou's plans for these games, shoot us an email and we'll keep you posted!
As we wrap up this quarter's In the Dugout, we look back on an incredible few months of progress, hope, and joy for LiveLikeLou. Here are just a few of the many additional highlights of what we've been up to:
We'll be back in touch in a few months with even more good news. Thank you for your interest in the LiveLikeLou Foundation and our work to leave ALS better than we found it.
