Walking in his honor
Gregory Middle School students have never met their school's namesake, but they're doing their best to keep his memory alive.
Roughly 40 students and staff members will walk 2 miles together Saturday in the ALS Walk4Life to help fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
Gordon Gregory, longtime member of the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board, died of the neuromuscular disorder in 1982. There still is no cure.
"The whole school has an awareness of it and will participate with donations, doing the walk or wishing us well and being aware that families are stricken with this disease all around," said band director Emily Binder, who heads the school's team of walkers.
The event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Montrose Harbor in Chicago. Interested walkers can register at 8:30 a.m. on site.
The walk benefits the Les Turner ALS Foundation, which is affiliated with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, to support research, clinical care, grants and educational programs.
Saturday marks the school's fifth year of participating in the six-year history of the walk. Last year the Gregory community raised $1,600 for the cause.
Binder said that by taking part in the event each year, the staff hopes to honor Gregory and emphasize community service to students.
"Whether it's this walk or another one, the feeling you get of people coming from all walks of life, coming together for a common cause is remarkable," she said. "For two to three hours doing the walk, it doesn't matter where you came from, what your beliefs are. We're all in this together and it definitely leaves you changed for the better."
In the Chicago area, the foundation works with about 500 to 600 patients at any one time. About 30,000 people nationwide are living with ALS right now, according to Wendy Abrams, executive director of the foundation. Most succumb to the disease within five years.
But Abrams said Saturday's walk is about hope, and she is happy to see students getting involved.
"It's a very uplifting day. It's not sad by any means," she said. "There's just this great family feeling of camaraderie and spirit, and it's a wonderful opportunity for young people to see and experience the challenges other people are facing."
The foundation expects to raise at least $900,000. In addition to the walk there will be games, food and guests such as Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and Alan Krashesky of ABC7 Chicago.
For information, call (847) 679-3311 or visit lesturnerals.org.
If you go
What: ALS Walk4Life
When: 8:30 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. walk on Saturday
Where: Montrose Harbor, Chicago
Info: (847) 679-3311 or lesturnerals.org
Need to know: Last year the Gregory community raised $1,600 for the cause.