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TEAM PARKINSON STORMS LOS ANGELES. Over 100 athletes take part in the LA Marathon to raise funds for Parkinson’s Disease. LOS ANGELES- Over 100 athletes ran, biked or walked for TEAM PARKINSON on Sunday, March 5th 2000. The goal was to raise money for research to cure Parkinson's and to raise awareness about the disease. Volunteers and staff from numerous Southern California Parkinson's organizations came together to organize TEAM PARKINSON in a display of cooperation and commitment. Over $35,000, including sponsorship contributions and matching gifts, raised at the event will be made available for Pro-Seed grant research projects. TEAM PARKINSON was directed by the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in association with the Parkinson Alliance. Participants came to Los Angeles from as far away as Massachusetts, Florida, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Texas and the District of Columbia. Despite unseasonably cool and stormy weather in LA, turnout for the event was excellent and spirits were high. A number of individual stories highlighted TEAM PARKINSON at the LA Marathon. Mary Yost, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease ten years ago, completed her very first marathon. She crossed the finish line in 9 hours and 18 minutes. John Ball, a runner with Parkinson's who has been in numerous LA Marathons, finished the twenty-six-mile course for TEAM PARKINSON this time in under five hours. Daniel Marcus finished the last mile of the marathon in his wheel chair. Dan has Parkinson’s and he is blind but that did not stop him from collecting over $4,000 for the cause. His story was featured in the Los Angeles Times earlier in the week. A number of cyclists with Parkinson’s participated. Tom Brown, a young-onset leader from Orange County cycled the 25-mile course. Last year Tom accompanied Matt Drayton on his ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco during the last leg of the Parkinson’s Power Across America campaign. Speaking of Matt Drayton, the originator of the Parkinson’s Power Across America event also rode the 25-mile LA Marathon course along with his father Chuck Drayton. Matt will be running the Boston marathon and is putting together plans for a new event to raise funds for PD scheduled for 2001. Wallace Teal was at the LA Marathon as well. He rode across the southern portion of the U.S. from California to Florida as part of Parkinson’s Power Across America in 1999. Wallace’s late wife had PD and he raises money for a fund in her name. Jim Wetherell, a former tour-bus driver from Hemet, California and PWP also completed the event. Jim has been ‘cycling for a cure’ for PD for nearly two years. He recorded his 13,000th mile during the bikeathon. When Jim rides his stylish recumbent bicycle through your town be sure to come out and say hello. On Sunday, April 9th, participants, volunteers and sponsors joined together for a victory party. Spirits were high and, judging by the level of enthusiasm at the party, organizers will be working even harder to put together a bigger and better TEAM PARKINSON event in 2001. The first TEAM PARKINSON event is also a first for the Parkinson’s Unity Walk and the Parkinson Alliance. The event was truly a cooperative effort. Both organizations look forward to marshalling resources together for similar joint ventures in the future. Besides raising more money for research we hope that TEAM PARKINSON can be viewed as a model showing how local groups, regional chapters and our national organizations can work together on such projects to accomplish our shared goal – CURING PARKINSON’S DISEASE. We would like to thank the following individuals for their help. Mignone Trenary, Event Chair Mary Yost whose foresight, dedication and hard work made this event possible. Holly Robinson-Peete and Rodney Peete, our TEAM PARKINSON Co-Captains Sheralyn Richardson – prize-winning cheerleader and impromptu coach Edna Ball for her hard work and commitment. The rest of our TEAM PARKINSON committee members and volunteers who worked beyond the call of duty to make this event a success. Thanks to our distinguished Corporate and Group MILE SPONSORS: Pacific Gulf Properties O.C. Parkinson’s Support Groups Shenanigan’s Irish Pub St. Johns Neuroscience Institute, Oxnard Orange County Printing Company Thanks to our Family and Friends MILE SPONSORS: Aunt Fanny’s Family The Kathleen Cooper Family The Hotchkin Family Carol & Clyde King The Lollabrigida Crew The Marcus Family Friends of the Marcus Family The Scher Family The Warsaw Family The Lloyd Sukut Family The Jacobowitz Family Fans of Millard Tipp Friends of Thomas G. Brown MoMo’s Mile In Honor of Ken Curry In Honor of JoAnn Nelson The Rupert A. Sympson Memorial Mile In Honor of Bev Steward, Santa Barbara Thanks to the organizations that endorse the Parkinson’s Unity Walk and their scientific boards which direct Pro-Seed pilot study research funds collected by the Parkinson’s Unity Walk and the Parkinson Alliance. The National Parkinson Foundation The American Parkinson Disease Association The Parkinson Disease Foundation The Parkinson’s Action Network The Parkinson’s Institute If I left out anyone - please let me know! Thanks again. Ken Aidekman Chairman of the Parkinson's Unity Walk