While the Sons of Pericles assembled during the 4th of July
weekend for their 87th Annual Supreme Convention, they were faced with the
opportunity to select a new National Project. After much consideration, the
delegates chose to direct the Sons’ charitable efforts towards two organizations:
the
ALS Association and the
Cyprus Children’s Fund.
The ALS Association is dedicated to improving the lives of ALS patients not only
through services, but also funding research to treat and possibly cure ALS. The
Cyprus Children’s Fund raises money to support needy Cypriot Children living in
the occupied and native areas of Cyprus.
Commonly called Lou Gehrig’s Disease through out the US and Canada, Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in the failure of
the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement, affecting 5,600 new patients
each year in the United States. With the neurons loosing their effectiveness to direct
muscular activity, paralysis gradually spreads through the patient’s body as their
muscles atrophy. Although the patient’s mental abilities are left unaffected, muscular
control and power degrade until the fatal outcome of the disease ultimately results in
the stricken patient’s inability to breathe, swallow food, and drink water. Unfortunately,
the root cause of ALS is unknown, and at the present time, there is no treatment available
to halt or delay its progression. Lou Gehrig’s Disease was brought to the national
spotlight 70 years ago when it broke the Iron Man’s 14-season streak of 2,130 consecutive
games with the New York Yankees. Gehrig’s case was particularly emotional, ending his
life 2 years after his diagnosis; however, most ALS patients pass away after 5 years from
the onset of their symptoms.
To conclude his retirement speech on the 4th of July, 1939, Gehrig said “So I close in
saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.”
Coincidentally, the Sons of Pericles, almost 70 years later to the day, elected to help
those who still have a lot left to live for by promising their charities to the ALS
Association to improve the lives of the over 30,000 Americans afflicted with this disease.
The Cyprus Children’s Fund was established in 1975 following the devastating Turkish
invasion and occupation of Cyprus to alleviate the plight of thousands of displaced
children in Cyprus. These political refugees had nobody to turn to, and in most cases
had recently lost everything, including their homes and their parents. The Cyprus
Children’s fund aims to provide these disadvantaged youth with a means to survive.
Forty percent of the children currently receiving help represent cases of abandonment,
alcoholism, and dysfunction. Some children come from divorced families, or families
plagued by emotional illness. The donations to the organization can be used for everything
from food and clothes, to school supplies and Christmas presents. The program operates
on a one-on-one basis, thus an individual can choose to sponsor a specific child in
Cyprus on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. The Cyprus Children’s Fund is one of
the only charities in the United States for which every dollar donated goes directly to
the child. A one-on-one relationship is created with the child and a line of communication
is put in place. The children often send letters of thanks to their sponsors expressing
their sincere gratitude for their support. It is with great pleasure that the Supreme
Lodge of the Sons of Pericles announces that it will be sponsoring at least five children
in the upcoming year, with hopes to expand on this in subsequent years.
Both of these National Projects are extremely dear to the lodge’s hearts and it is a great
honor to have been given an opportunity to support them. It is our hope that with our help
we can both inform people about the background of these charities as well as to make progress
in research for ALS and the living conditions for children in Cyprus. |
