Today's Hero: Ken Patterson Sr.

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } Good Morning Team, today is Monday, November 17th and we introduce you to Ken Patterson Sr. On April of this year, Ken took off from Orlando, Florida - on his wheelchair - and rode to Washington DC. He did this so that others might take notice of ALS and be inspired into action. Ken's tenacity is extraordinarily impressive - thank you Ken & Glenda! *Be Well, Team 2175 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rolling Over ALS: Orlando to D.C. ... by Wheelchair Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Sunday, 18 May 2008, 11:13 PM EDT Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} By Steve Gehlbach FOX 35 News, OrlandoORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) -- A trip of a lifetime is over for a local man living with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Ken Patterson set off from Orlando and rode more than 900 miles to Washington D.C. as part of the "Rolling Over ALS" tour.  The journey took twenty-one days and three electric wheelchairs. Ken and his wife, who drove behind in a van the entire way, say the trip was a lot tougher than expected. Somewhere in Georgia, Ken retreated to the van for a mile or so because deputies pulled him over twice for holding up traffic.  "People were just very angry, and we were called names we didn't know existed. It was bad," Ken said. After returning this weekend to their home in Titusville, they say the mission to raise awareness was accomplished.  "You have to live every day, like it's your last," said Ken. Ken was joined by other ALS patients for the final three miles through the nation's capitol. The trip ended with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. For more information about Ken Patterson's journey, you can visit Ken's website at:  kensjourney.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Click here to access the original article-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rolling Over ALS: The Journey(from RollingOverALS.org) Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} On April 19th, 2008, at the conclusion of the Walk to d’Feet ALS – Orlando walk, Ken Patterson Sr and Jerry House will set out on a trek of historic proportion. Ken, who has ALS, will be riding his wheelchair, and Jerry will ride along on a bicycle. The pair will leave Orlando, FL that afternoon and plan on arriving in Washington, DC twenty days later. The beginning of the Tour is the conclusion of the Florida Walk to d’Feet ALS Campaign. The conclusion of the Tour will mark the commencement of the National ALSA Advocacy Days, an event that allows pALS (people with ALS) to meet with their elected representatives and explain the need to change some of the laws that affect us. ALSA Advocacy Days in 2007 brought to the forefront the ALS Registry Act, which will finally start allowing us to track the number of pALS in America, something that has never been done before. Ken and Jerry will make the 940 mile trip, over 20 days, with one goal in mind… Raise Awareness for ALSClick to Access the "Rolling Over ALS" website Click to View the Video about Ken's Journey   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please Donate $1 to 2175 for ALS...OR make your donation go TWICE as far: An unnamed donor has agreed to match the next fifty $20 donations to the ALS Association DC/MD/VA Chapter on behalf of 2175 for ALS. Seize this moment! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------