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Poland United Methodist Church got active to raise money to fight ALS
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Attendees of the Get Active for ALS event at Poland United Methodist Church examined some of the items that were to auctioned to raise money for ALS research.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Several women got settled in and began to practice Yoga on the lawn of Poland United Methodist Church for the Get Active for ALS event.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Attendees of the Get Active for ALS event at Poland United Methodist Church got moving during the Zumba class that was offered.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Donna Marciano of Struthers was the guest of honor for the Get Active for ALS event at Poland United Methodist Church. Marciano was diagnosed with the disease in 2012.
By TIM CLEVELAND
The main fundraiser to raise money for ALS research is the Ice Bucket Challenge. On Sept. 20, Poland United Methodist Church hosted an event called Get Active for ALS to raise money to help fight the disease.
The event featured Zumba, cardio and kickboxing inside the church, with Pilates and Yoga outside on the church’s lawn. There were three separate classes with a break in between.
In addition, there was a silent auction with several items up for bids. Donations were also accepted.
“I work for Power Pilates and one of our participants [Donna Marciano] was diagnosed with ALS,” event coordinator Jodi Pacella said. “It’s in honor of her. She really wanted everything to go to research to try and find a cure.
“A lot of people do the Ice Bucket Challenge and they weren’t sure where to send it. They can drop it off here today between 11 and 2 and we’ll be glad to send it to the ALS Association.”
Pacella said she was hoping for 100 people to attend the event.
“We’ll see what happens,” she said.
She added that as of the beginning of the event there was $2,000 raised. She was hoping for a total of $3,500 - $5,000 altogether.
Marciano, a Struthers resident, began having symptoms of ALS in 2010 and was officially diagnosed in 2012.
“I’m just overwhelmed by it,” she said of the event. “I like to do for others when things are done for me. It’s very hard for me to accept. It’s just wonderful. After I was diagnosed I wanted to do an event for research.”
Marciano and Pacella both said they were pleased with how the community came together for the cause.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Marciano said. “You know you have friends and you know they’re there for you if you every need anything. For them to take the time on a beautiful Saturday morning, it’s very hard for me to imagine.”
“We had this idea, and I brought it to the girls who take our classes,” Pacella said. “Everybody just kind of came together. Everyone worked together, we talked to everybody we knew about giving donations, whether it was monetary, whether it was auction items. We just put our own crew together. It was a big community effort.”