COMMUNITY SUPPORTS ALS RESEARCH FOR A CURE

From left: New York State Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow, City of Yonkers Councilmember Tasha Diaz, Legislative Aide Ken Switzer for County Legislator David Tubiolo, NYS Assemblyman Nader Sayegh, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers Councilman John Rubbo and NYS Senator Shelley Mayer are joined by ALS patients, families and community supporters. Photo by Tatiana Diaz, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts.

The annual ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took place for the 10th year on Saturday, Aug. 5, at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts trackside at the 124-year-old historic Yonkers Raceway at 810 Yonkers Ave. in Yonkers. Community members of all ages turned out to face some cold ice on a hot day, alongside family, friends and neighbors who are currently battling or have lost the battle to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating disease that equates to a death sentence because no cure has been developed.

The event was organized by Patrick Quinn Sr., father of the late Yonkers native and ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder Pat Quinn. “Quinn for the Win – Find Your Smile Foundation.” the annual event draws local and state elected officials each year who take part in the challenge.

The hundreds of participants were either individuals with a connection to the deadly disease, current patients or participating in the name of loved ones who lost their battle to ALS. The event is held the first week of August each year because at the first event, Quinn committed to holding the event “Every August Until a Cure.” The community is honoring those words and continuing the original mission of the event to raise awareness of ALS and the need for funding to find a cure.

“We all continue to be moved by Pat Quinn”™s spirit,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “His determination brings us back every year. We will continue to support the Quinn for the Win-Find Your Smile Foundation and the ALS Association and will return to Empire City Casino for the Ice Bucket Challenge every August until a cure.”

The annual event, co-founded by Quinn after his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2013, became a global phenomenon in 2014. ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Though Quinn passed away from ALS in November 2020, the Ice Bucket Challenge has remained a catalyst to finding a cure for ALS, with Quinn helping to inspire billions of dollars in donations for ALS research, which has led to expanded research and significant discoveries.

“I am always amazed by the community”™s dedication to finishing our mission of finding a cure,” said Patrick Quinn Sr. “I am so thankful to all of you for always showing up. We will continue to fight to make ALS a disease you can live with, and not one that diagnosed patients will die from.”

Each year, Empire City donates the space, set-up and staffing costs, as well as over 1,300 pounds of ice. The city of Yonkers donates the ice buckets and the stage for the event, along with organizing the online registration for participants.