'Deliver the Cure' for MDA with the Satchel Drive

The National Association of Letter carriers from local Palatine Branch #4268, and other surrounding areas, will hit the streets for their first annual “Satchel Drive” this Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

On Sunday, Palatine Branch #4268 will be at Colfax Street and Plum Grove Road, Palatine and Quentin roads, Smith Street and Dundee Road, and Rohlwing and Palatine roads.

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) is the representing union of some 240 thousand professional members of the United States Postal Service who deliver mail to homes and businesses across the US. Committing its support to MDA back in 1952, the NALC represents one of MDA's first National sponsoring organizations. In 1953, this union of letter carriers began their first nationally coordinated campaign nicknamed “The Porch Light Brigade”, where tens of thousands of letter carriers in more than 800 cities returned to their routes for a second time over Thanksgiving week to raise money for MDA. Today, NALC branches raise money for MDA year round through events like the Satchel Drive, raffles, walks, letter writing campaigns, and their annual upcoming Bowl A Thon on November 6.

Last year, The NALC raised over $1.7 million dollars nation-wide through various fundraising efforts, and have raised more than $20 million dollars over the last 15 years. The State of Illinois' letter carriers are 3rd in the nation for fundraising efforts, helping provide MDA with lifesaving research, equipment, programs, summer camps and more. There are over 2,500 families that are registered with MDA in Northern Illinois alone, and the money that these local NALC branches raise provides help and hope for these families.

“It is very special for our families to feel such generous support from their local community, and all of our local NALC branches have been amazing in this respect. We could not thank them enough for all of their efforts; they consistently go above and beyond for our organization and we are proud to have them on our side” said Amber Pichiotino, Fundraising Coordinator at the local Chicago MDA office.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing Muscular Dystrophy, including ALS and other related diseases by funding worldwide research. In addition to funding more than 330 research teams,, MDA maintains a national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics; orchestrates hundreds of support groups for families affected by neuromuscular diseases and facilitates extraordinary local summer camp opportunities for thousands of youngsters fighting progressive muscle diseases.