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Join The New Britain Rock Cats To Strike Out MS
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- The New Britain Rock Cats professional baseball team and Crystal Rock are teaming up with Peg Leg Petes and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter to strike out multiple sclerosis (MS). Peg Leg Petes Walk MS team will be selling tickets for the Wednesday, Aug. 19, game versus the Erie SeaWolves. Fifty percent of the proceeds from tickets sold for that day’s game will benefit Peg Leg Petes walk team, a group of people working together to raise funds for the Walk MS event. Peg Leg Petes’ captain and Simsbury resident, Katherine Ryan, started this event last year after being diagnosed with MS. “I awoke one morning to discover the left side of my body was completely numb. Since that time my right side has also become numb, and I now have constant pain in my hands and legs as well as ongoing spasticity, a disorder of the body's motor system in which certain muscles are continuously contracted,” explained Ryan. This constant battle has spurred Ryan to step up to the plate and work to help find a cure. “People need to know MS does not discriminate. It affects people at any age from all walks of life. People should know its effects can forever change lives. We need communities across Connecticut join with us if we’re going to find a cure for this disease,” said Ryan. More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Ryan, battle the baffling effects of multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. The cause is unknown and, as a result, there currently is no cure. Symptoms can include, among other things, numbness and tingling in the extremities, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progression, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted. Funds raised through events, such as the Rock Cats game night fundraiser, ensure the continuation of scientific research to find a cure and provide for vital programs and services offered by the chapter to Connecticut residents living with multiple sclerosis. “We look for ways to support communities statewide,” said William Dowling, Rock Cats president and CEO. “We are pleased to team up with Peg Leg Petes and the National MS Society to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis.” Even if you can’t make it to the game, Peg Leg Petes is offering a chance to buy a ticket for a child who might otherwise not be able to afford to attend. “This gives everyone a way to get involved, and will give children a chance to experience something new and have a great time,” said Ryan Festivities will include Harley Davidson Night, presented by TSI Harley Davidson, including a hat give-away, pre-game ride, happy hour and, thanks to Harte Auto Group, kids eat free. The New Britain Rock Cats baseball stadium is at 230 John Karbonic Way in New Britain, Conn. Tickets are $8 per person; the game begins around 7:05 p.m. For more information on purchasing tickets for the Aug. 19 game, please contact Katherine Ryan at 860-658-4688 or 860-573-4775. Ryan can also be reached at katnip33@aol.com. To support Peg Leg Petes or the 2009 Walk MS, which will take place Sunday, April 19, please contact Michelle Zimnoch, development director, at 860- 714-2300, ext. 234. To learn more about the effects of MS and the many ways to Join The Movement, please visit http://www.ctfightsms.org/. National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, public relations intern Megan Alexander is resident of Cheshire attending Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. Alexander is majoring in public relations and psychology. If you or someone you know would be interested in completing and internship with the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter Communications Department, please contact Karen E. Butler at kbutler@ctfightsMS.org. NOTE TO MEDIA |
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