FAIRVIEW – On Saturday, August 29, there will be an ALS Washout Event at Fairview Community Park. The details about what exactly an “ALS Washout” have yet to be revealed by event organizer Diane Harris.
“I’ll just say it involves a fire truck,” Harris laughingly said. Although the main event is a bit of a mystery, the other details of the fundraiser are not.
To raise awareness and research funds for ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Harris has organized this event.
“Last year, you know after the Ice Bucket Challenge got so popular, the goal was to have the Ice Bucket Challenge every August until a cure was found,” Harris said.
“But this summer it didn’t catch on like it did last year, so we decided to do something different,” she continued.
Diane Harris, whose husband, Danny, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, has been very motivated to push fundraising efforts and raise awareness about the unpredictable disease.
“You know, most people in America don’t know what ALS is, so you say, ‘it’s Lou Gehrig’s disease,’” Diane said. “But most of the new generation don’t know who Lou Gehrig was.”
The Harris' have a dramatic story about the day that Danny was diagnosed with ALS.
“We had an appointment with a doctor in Atlanta on April 28, 2011. So we were traveling on April 27, the day the storms hit. You can only imagine how hard it was to make that drive, and then the next day get such terrible news,” Diane explained.
Her husband is now unable to speak, but still fighting, alongside his wife, to raise awareness and find a cure.
The event, which will start up at 10 a.m. at Fairview Park, will feature a food vendor, water slides and activities for children, live music, and the somewhat-of-a-mystery main attraction. The event will continue on until 2 p.m.
There is a $25 suggested donation, and along with that the first 200 to donate receive a T-shirt to commemorate the event.
“Our family has been so great,” Diane said.
“We’ve gone in together to secure the slides and things for the event, the musicians are performing as a donation, so all the proceeds from donations will go straight to the ALS charity.”
Fairview Community Park is located at 649 Wesley Ave N, Cullman, AL 35058.
