One of the joys of being a special events coordinator is to witness and revel in the creativity of teams and their fundraisers in the height of walk season. In the days and weeks leading up to the walk, we watch as team members hold bake sales, knit beautiful homemade items for raffle, plan golf tournaments and spirit nights at restaurants and so much more – they come up with such fresh and creative ideas each year!
Some teams choose to hold their fundraisers outside the normal spectrum of the January through April whirlwind. These events, hosted in the months when most participants have not yet started thinking about the April walk, serve to raise money and awareness for ALS all year long, and to keep the forefront and focus of the community on the fight to defeat this disease.
One such event was recently held in Wilmington on October 15. Sam Foy, a senior at New Hanover High School, organized a baseball tournament fundraiser as his senior project. All proceeds from the fundraiser were donated to Team Talbert for the 2012 Wilmington Walk. Team Talbert is led by Cindy Talbert, Sam’s former 4th and 5th grade principal, in honor of her mother Shirlee Wiseman.
Sam, a ballplayer himself, was interested in raising money for ALS because of its connection to the game, and because the disease has no cure. “[ALS] needs more support and more awareness because of how little is known right now about it,” he said.
About 20 of Sam’s baseball teammates showed up to participate in the tournament and another 30 people came to watch. The tournament was planned as marathon. Instead of the normal 7 inning game Sam plays at school, he and his teammates planned a 15 inning game, and then went out to find sponsors to fund every inning they played. The tournament lasted between three and four hours and raised over $1,000 for Team Talbert.
Sam, who is planning on participating in the Walk at UNCW on April 14, said that he and his father have spoken with his English teacher to make sure the tournament happens again next year. “We’ve had a million ideas as to how to make it bigger and better,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the event ten years from now.”
