LAS VEGAS BASH SCORES
BIG PUNCH AGAINST ALS
LANCE ARMSTRONG ON HAND, LENDS SUPPORT
TUCSON, Ariz., March 23, 2006 — The Bash
for Augie’s Quest, a fund-raising gala created by fitness
industry pioneer Augie Nieto, raised $2.8 million, a record amount for any
event aimed at combating amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
The Bash, held last night at the Las Vegas Hilton, drew more than 2,000
participants and exceeded organizers’ expectations.
The funds are earmarked for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS
Division, which
leads the worldwide scientific search for treatments and a cure for ALS. The
devastating
neuromuscular disease affects more than 30,000 Americans.
Nieto, 48, is co-founder and former president of Life Fitness, and chairman of
Octane Fitness. He and his wife, Lynne, serve as co-chairpersons of MDA’s
ALS Division.
“My friends and others who care about those of us living with ALS came
through like
champs,” Nieto said of the Bash. “This outstanding result will
enable us to rev up our search for an ALS cure, and move promising scientific
findings into clinical trials as speedily as possible.”
Nieto received a diagnosis of ALS in March 2005.
The Bash was highlighted by an appearance by seven-time Tour de France champion
Lance Armstrong, and entertainment by the Grammy-Award-winning Doobie Brothers.
Auctions of dozens of prizes, including cruises, trips and Broadway tickets,
added to the
proceeds from ticket sales. The opportunity to play one-on-one basketball with
Magic Johnson brought in $40,000, and a racing bike signed by Armstrong sold
for $30,000.
Held in conjunction with the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub
Association’s
25th Anniversary International Convention and Trade Show, the Bash was
co-sponsored by several leading fitness businesses. Nieto received the fitness
industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award from IHRSA and the National Fitness
Trade Show in September.
ALS destroys the nerve cells controlling muscles, ultimately causing complete
paralysis
while leaving mental function intact. Survival is typically two to five years
after diagnosis. The cause of ALS isn’t fully understood, and no cure
exists.
For more information about the MDA ALS Division’s programs of research and
services,
visit www.als-mda.org.
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