St. Viator baseball team helps lead the way at Walk MS

More than 1,000 people - including the entire St. Viator High School baseball program - took part in Sunday's Walk MS: Northwest Suburbs at Schaumburg Boomers Stadium.

The event raised more than $245,000 for research to find a cure for multiple sclerosis.

"This is our biggest fundraiser," said Coleen Friedman, a director with the National MS Society. "Across the country, we do Walk MS in all of our chapters and we raise millions of dollars that goes to services and critical research.

"This is very much a family and friends event. It's an opportunity to show support for their loved ones and raise money."

The top individual fundraiser for the event was Meghan Melone, at $6,865, and the top team was Ohana, which raised $14,165.

St. Viator ballplayers marched in support of two senior teammates at the Arlington Heights school, Alex Prazuch and Sean McAteer, who have parents battling the disease.

"I thought it was a good way to show our support for people with MS," coach Mike Manno said with his team surrounding him. "We talk about family as a program, and this is just another way of showing that we are a family whether it is on the field or off the field."