Community invited to the Inaugural SoCal Ride to Defeat ALS on

Saturday, July 21, 2018 to support the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS.

07/1/2018–Newbury Park, CA

The ALS Association Golden West Chapter proudly announces the inaugural SoCal Ride to Defeat ALS and Run/Walk/Hike on Saturday, July 21, 2018, at Dos Vientos Park in Newbury Park, California. This one-day community outreach event is open to the public and all of the funds raised will support of the interdependent mission priorities of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter in care services, public policy, and research. Participants are invited to join us for a family-friendly morning of celebration, exercise, education, awareness, music, food, and fun!

Registration opens at 7:30 am, followed by staggered start times at 8:00am for the 40-mile route, 8:30am for the 25-mile route, 9:00am for the 2.9 mile Run and 5-mile Hike, and 9:30am for the 5-10 mile route. Every participant can count on support from start to finish with rest stops, SAG (support and gear) vehicles, and route monitors. Upon completing the tour, riders and walkers will be welcomed back by cheering crowds and finish line festivities that include live entertainment, a delicious BBQ lunch, and more.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.  ALS does not discriminate -- women and men of all ages and backgrounds are at risk, though for unknown reasons veterans are diagnosed with ALS twice as often as civilians.  People with ALS lose their ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually the ability to breathe, while all five senses continue to function normally. Currently, there is no known cure for ALS.

“The funds we raise from the SoCal Ride will allow The ALS Association Golden West Chapter to continue to serve the highest number of people with ALS and their families, which is more than 1,700 this year,” said Dawn Foley, Co Chair of the SoCal Ride, whose husband Niall has been living with ALS since 2015.

The 2018 SoCal Ride to Defeat ALS and Run/Hike/Walk is proudly sponsored by the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation, Naked Nutrition, Quantum,  Rusnak/Westlake Porsche Dealership, Honda Thousand Oaks, Infiniti of Thousand Oaks, and Orange Theory Fitness. NBC 4's Fritz Coleman and KOST103.5FM’s Mark Wallengren will serve as event emcees. Special musical guests Rob Morrow featuring Carlos Calvo will perform an acoustic set during the event’s finishing ceremonies.   Emmy/Golden Globe Nominated Actor Rob Morrow is well-known for his portrayal of Dr. Joel Fleischman on Northern Exposure and later, FBI agent Don Eppes on Numb3rs.

For more information or to register for the SoCal Ride to Defeat ALS and Run/Hike/Walk, please visit the website at SoCalRide.org. For questions please contact Cliff Whitlock, Director of Team Challenge ALS, socalride@ridetodefeatALS.org, 510-251-2572.

About the ALS Association Golden West Chapter:

The mission of The ALS Association 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. Our vision is to create a world without ALS. The Golden West Chapter serves people with ALS and their families in 31 counties throughout California and in the state of Hawaii.   Everything we do advances the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS. For more information about The ALS Association Golden West Chapter, please visit us at www.alsagoldenwest.org or email us at info@alsagoldenwest.org