|
PHOTOS ATTACHED
First Annual Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic Raises More Than $6,500 To Help Find A Cure For MS
"The turnout was amazing and the weather phenomenal," said Bob Lukaszek, who coordinated the event in recognition of his sister, who lives with the unpredictable effects of MS. "The community came out in force for not only a great day of golf but for a truly worthy cause. I want to thank everyone who participated and or partnered with us to raise these funds. I can’t wait to someday say, ‘We’ve raised more than $100,000 for MS and research.’ and ‘We’ve found a cure!’" Lukaszek established the classic in honor of his sister Helen Langello, who in 2003 was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. The classic benefits the National MS Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter and its mission to end the devastating effects of MS. Funds raised through events, such as the Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic, ensure ongoing scientific research to find and cure and provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the chapter.
More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Langello, live with the effects of multiple sclerosis. The cause is unknown, and, as a result, there currently is no cure. Symptoms can include, among other things, numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted. "Mr. Lukaszek did a tremendous job coordinating the golf classic," said Lisa Gerrol, Greater Connecticut Chapter president. "The funds raised through this event help get us just that much closer to a world free of multiple sclerosis. We are grateful for those like Mr. Lukaszek, who actively join us in the fight against this disease." Golf classic sponsors include Harty Integrated Solutions, V.P. Electric, Berkshire Litho and East Haven Landscape Products. The second annual Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic will be held Friday, June 20, 2008 and will include lunch and an evening banquet. Golfers tee off at 1:30 p.m. For more information on the 2008 golf classic, please contact Bob Lukaszek at (203) 623-3757 or e-mail at bobl@hartynet.com. The event Web site is currently under construction but can be found at www.helensheroes.com. For more information on multiple sclerosis, its effects and the many ways to become involved, please visit www.ctfightsMS.org. 8/7/07
Karen E. Butler CUTLINE: Golfers, including Madison resident Matt Lyon (left), event coordinator Bob Lukaszek (center), Clinton resident Paul Topitzer (right), look on as 74-year-old Frank Lukaszek, a resident of North Branford, putts the ball at the first annual Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic held on June 13 at the Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange, Conn. Frank Lukaszek is the father of Bob Lukaszek and Helen Langello, for whom the classic is named. Langello was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease, in 2003. Since that time, she and her family members have raised funds to help find better treatments and a cure. CUTLINE: Bob Lukaszek, a resident of East Haven, and younger sister Helen Langello, who lives in Northford, enjoy time together at the 2006 National MS Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter Annual Meeting held in March at the Hartford Marriott in Rocky Hill, Conn. After Langello was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003, family members began raising funds to help find a cure. On June 13, Lukaszek established the first annual Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic. The event attracted 100 golfers and raised more than $6,500 and will help fund scientific research to find better treatments and a cure. The funds will also provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the Greater Connecticut Chapter to those in the state affected by multiple sclerosis.
|
|
|
ORANGE, Conn. The first annual Helen’s Heroes Golf Classic, held on June 18 at the Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange, Conn., attracted more than 100 participants and contributed more than $6,500 toward effort to find a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS).
"My sister is my best friend and the most resilient, positive person I know," said Lukaszek, an East Haven resident who works as a printing and direct mail consultant with Harty Integrated Solutions in New Haven. "Like many other families affected by a diagnosis of MS, I want to find a cure not tomorrow but today."