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Iron Maidens Sign On With Rock Cats To Strike Out MS

By Megan Alexander, Public Relations Intern, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. The Iron Maidens & The Band of Brothers MS Motorcycle Ride team is now teaming up with the New Britain Rock Cats baseball team to take a swing at MS. The Iron Maidens is selling tickets for the Tuesday, Aug. 19, game, featuring TSI Harley-Davidson Bike Night.

Iron Maidens MS Motorcycle Ride team captain Karen Butler pauses for a moment to have her picture taken with Full Throttle Magazine journalist and event road marshal David “Ricco” Sgro at the 2008 Motorcycle Ride held at Cadillac Ranch in Southington Sunday, Aug. 3. The ride attracted riders from throughout Connecticut, even as far away as Fairfield and Windham.

“The Iron Maidens team is finishing up its 2008 MS Motorcycle Ride fundraising by saddling up with the Rock Cats,” says Karen Butler, Iron Maidens team captain and vice president of communications at the Connecticut Chapter. “It’s always great when organizations, such as the Rock Cats, come together in the fight against MS. We can accomplish more and double the fun.”

More than 6,000 Connecticut residents 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 the Iron Maidens and the National MS Society to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis.”

In 2007 the Iron Maidens & The Band of Brothers was named MS Motorcycle Ride top fundraising team. The team recruited more than 15 bikers and raised more than $3,000. The 2008 MS Motorcycle Ride was held Sunday, Aug. 3, at Cadillac Ranch in Southington. To date, the Iron Maidens team has raised more than $7,500.

“We hope all our biker friends will join us for a great night of baseball,” says Butler, a Manchester resident. “It just doesn’t get much better than a night filled with bikes and baseball.”

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. The pre-game TSI Harley Davidson ride begins at 6 p.m. For more information on purchasing tickets for the Aug. 19 game, please contact Karen Butler by e-mail, at kbutler@ctfightsms.org or call 860-714-2300, ext. 230.

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.