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Strike Out ALS softball tournament raises money to fight disease

November 23, 2020

The inaugural Strike Out ALS softball tournament was held Nov. 7 at the Rehoboth Little League fields. On a sunny November day, the locally organized tournament hosted eight softball teams that played all day to raise money for the Greater Philadelphia ALS Association. The eight teams that participated were the Delmarva Freedom (the host team), K&K Raptors, Delaware Express, Riptide Fastpitch, East Coast Titans, East Coast X-Plosion, Delaware Cobras and Delaware Tribe.

The tournament focused on raising funds to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive, degenerative disease that destroys the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. These cells, called "motor neurons," run from the brain through the brainstem or spinal cord to muscles that control movement in the arms, legs, chest, throat and mouth. In people with ALS, these cells die off, causing the muscle tissues to waste away. The ALS Association’s mission is to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest.

“Recently my sister, Sarah Layfield, was diagnosed with ALS, which made it all the more real to me and my family. Early diagnosis of ALS makes a difference, and financial support can help individuals get diagnosed earlier, provide funding for additional research, as well as create resources needed to assist during the difficult journey of living with this terrible disease,” said Chuck Hudson, organizer of Strike Out ALS. “The financial support provided during Strike Out ALS is important in the fight against ALS, and I am incredibly thankful to our community for coming together as we address the challenges. As a whole, thank you for being thoughtful and kind to each other, and everyone who participated to fight ALS, including our generous sponsors, Schell Brothers, our local umpires, the teams that played, and our volunteer grounds crew.”

The total amount raised is still being finalized, but overall the event exceeded the organizers’ goals for fundraising. Big congratulations to the winner of the tournament, the Delaware Tribe, who played six challenging games to win. Based on the incredible success of the Strike Out ALS softball tournament, there are plans to make this an annual event with more information coming in 2021.

It’s not too late to make a donation. To learn more and donate, go to http://webpa.alsa.org/site/TR?team_id=394368&fr_id=14399&pg=team.

 

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