Volunteer Appreciation Month
Celebrating Generosity and Service to Our ALS Community
Volunteers provide help and hope to people living with ALS and their loved ones in so many ways, including participating in our community outreach events and raising much-needed funds; advocating for legislation by sending emails, making phone calls; and posting on social media to help raise ALS awareness and support for our organization.
Throughout this month, we will be sharing our gratitude for many of the ALS Network’s dedicated volunteers. Thank you to all of our volunteers for their incredible support of our mission and families facing ALS. Follow in their footsteps by signing up to be a volunteer today!
Giving the Gift of Themselves: ALS Network Board of Directors and Advisory Trustees
The ALS Network is grateful to those who generously share their significant gifts of time, expertise, leadership, compassion, and funding in support of the ALS community. The ALS Network’s volunteer leadership and committee members are passionate about our mission and vision. We deeply appreciate these volunteers for who they are and what they do to support families facing ALS, and to fuel the search for effective prevention strategies, treatments and cures for ALS.
“In order to try and come to terms with this devastating loss, both for myself and my children, I was looking for a way to try to make sense of it all. I thought, ‘I am going to find an organization that deals with this disease and I am going to volunteer’…The organization is very involved in caregiving, advocacy on both the federal and state level. and very involved in research.”
-Patty Schimbor, Esq.
Meet your ALS Network - Sue Morris
Meet Sue Morris, a longtime ALS Network volunteer. After her husband, Mark Morris, passed away from ALS in 2010, Sue, a civic leader and humanitarian, sought to find impactful ways to support the ALS community.
Sue joined the ALS Network’s board in 2013 (ALS Golden West at the time), serving as vice-chair, and then as board chair from 2017- 2020. Always active in various board committee roles throughout her tenure, in 2024, Sue returned to a leadership position as the board vice chair.
With a deep recognition of the significant issues facing family caregivers, Sue and her family decided to support the mission of ALS Network by funding critically-needed programs and novel initiatives. Together, they launched the Morris Family Caregiver Initiative to help provide meaningful support to caregivers with a loved one with ALS.
In addition to her board service and dedicated support as a donor, Sue is an active ALS advocate, motivated fundraiser, and enthusiastic event volunteer. Sue’s vision and leadership are deeply appreciated, and like so many volunteers who are inspired to take action, our progress in support of the ALS community is powered by their passion.
“I feel I have the responsibility to educate the community. Every single person I meet, I talk about ALS and I encourage anyone that I see or I talk to help us find a cure. The ALS Network has this wealth of a community that is with you every step of the way. That is something that is invaluable.”
-Karen Sutton
Meet your ALS Network - Bruce Friedricks
Meet Bruce Friedricks, ALS Network Board Member and Co-Chair of the Napa Valley Ride, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS. Bruce became involved with ALS Network in 2013, when he lost his good friend to ALS. Since then, the many reasons why he participates in raising ALS awareness and support have grown exponentially.
Volunteers Working Relentlessly to End ALS
We are grateful to Robert Hammer for his generous and meaningful support of our organization for over 23 years. During this time, Robert, along with his wife Tammy and their loved ones, have been tireless supporters of our vision and mission, dedicating themselves to the families facing ALS served by the ALS Network. Robert has served as a volunteer through his leadership as a former board member and current advisory trustee and his diverse participation in many community outreach events. A successful and sought after auto broker, Robert and his company, Hammer Auto, commits the proceeds from all vehicles donated to the ALS Network to power our mission priorities.
Impacting our ALS Community
We are grateful to our 2024 SoCal Ride & Rally to Cure ALS Fundraising Committee! All winter and spring, they have volunteered their time and partnered with ALS Network staff to drive new fundraising and outreach objectives, cultivate community relationships, and offer their expertise to enhance YOUR experience at this year’s event!
Our deepest thanks to Joan Ashley, Brande Belanger, Erin Core, Felice Jones, Ryan Richter, Daniel Rozzen, Dawn Foley, Stu Sheldon, and Mary Walton for giving their time and talents toward this year's SoCal Ride!
Now all we need is YOU! In addition to signing up for the event, you and your network still have many options to help us cross the finish line and celebrate success together on Saturday, May 4. You can still register online by Thursday, May 2 or in person on event day. And we are still looking for dedicated volunteers to lend a hand!
However you choose to support this event, know that YOU are driving the urgent search for ALS treatments and cures through the ALS Network’s mission priorities related to care, research, and advocacy.
Educating Our ALS Community
Our ASK ME educational webinar series is an opportunity for the ALS community to learn more about important topics related to ALS research, care, and advocacy. This series has been accessed thousands of times through live broadcasts and on-demand via our social media channels. The ALS Network is grateful to the many guest speakers who share their time and expertise to help others learn more about ALS-related subject matters.
We invite you to join us on Zoom for ASK ME: Home Accessibility and Modification on Tuesday, April 23 at 5:00 PM PDT / 2:00 PM HST. We will be joined by Alisa Brownlee, ATP, CLIPP, CAPS, WSP, Assistive Technology and Home Modification Specialist at ALS United Mid-Atlantic. Alisa is also the founder of ALS AT Home, offering virtual home assessments for modifications and safety to those diagnosed with ALS and other progressive diseases.
The Power of Youth Leadership in Action: Student-led Jim Tracy 5K, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS Committee
The ALS Network proudly celebrates a decade of progress at the 10th annual Jim Tracy 5K, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS on Sunday, April 28, at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Participants are invited to join other members of the ALS community for a family-friendly morning of celebration, exercise, education, awareness, music, food, and kids’ fun.
We are grateful for the decade of collaboration with volunteers from San Francisco University High School and their student-led committee, whose vital support in loving memory of coach Jim Tracy helps to power the ALS Network’s unwavering efforts related to ALS care, cures, and community.
Giving Their Time and Talents: Honoring Our Event Volunteers
The ALS Network could not do what we do without our dedicated volunteer committee members, some of whom are founders of our community outreach events. We appreciate their ongoing support to help fuel our mission. Learn more about why they spearheaded the launch of these events and continue to volunteer year after year.
“Volunteering is so important to keep the legacy of our loved ones alive and keep these events growing every year. The ALS community is counting on all of us.”
- Holland Reynolds, Alumni Volunteer
Jim Tracy 5K, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS
“If there's one thing I've learned from my volunteering, we can make an impact, but it requires a united community. The ALS Network has created this community, so we must unite and fight for hope.”
- Mattea Kalpakoff, Committee Member
Central Coast Ride & Rally to Cure ALS
“My mother passed away from ALS in 2018 after being diagnosed in 2016. Cycling for a cause brings people together who share a common goal of doing good while having fun at the same time. Cycling is more than just a way to get around or stay fit. It is a potent instrument for positively influencing society and finding a cure for ALS.”
- Erlind Bø - Training Ride Leader
Napa Valley Ride, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS
“I will continue to fight ALS until we have a cure. Niall and I knew that we could make a difference. This is a great event, with something for everyone. Please come out to support those living with ALS and in memory of those we have lost to ALS.”
- Dawn Foley, Co-Founder
SoCal Ride & Rally to Cure ALS
The Central Coast was a natural setting for the Mike Kennedy Surf Club to take root. My brother, Mike, Cal Poly Alum and huge bike rider, passed away from ALS in 2013, we were looking for a way to raise money in support of ALS families, and found the Napa Ride. When the pandemic hit, we moved to the Central Coast, and decided to create a Ride here. We are excited to see this ride take off as we honor my brother and support all those battling this disease.”
- Katey Kennedy, Founder
Central Coast Ride & Rally to Cure ALS
“ALS took my mother, Dottie, in 1998. My partner, Peter, and I created a team for their Walk called “Dottie's Guys & Dolls” in her memory and we wanted to do more. Our shared passion to help others facing this disease, combined with our 16 years of experience directing cycling events for another charitable organization, became the genesis for the Napa Valley Ride.”
- Bonnie Pybus and Peter Franklin
Co-Founders,
Napa Valley Ride, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS
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