Dear Friends,
Hope this note finds you well. I am excited about hosting this summer’s “Par for Parkinson’s” golf event which raises awareness and funds for those of us touched by Parkinson’s. I hope you can join us in the fun and will consider making a gift towards a cause close to home.
Par for Parkinson’s happens August 23-24 in partnership with the Michael J Fox Foundation. Exercise and being active are vital factors known to slow Parkinson’s disease progression for many. Par for Parkinson’s embraces the idea that adapting to play activities we enjoy is good for us especially when we play with family and friends.
Some Background
I have lived with Parkinson’s for thirteen years now, the first six years undiagnosed. We know Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that adversely affects coordination, motor skills, balance, sleep, energy and cognition. For me, living with Parkinson’s invites gratitude for my faith in God, loving family and caring friends. I am learning to savor the joys in life and adapt to play activities I enjoy with family and friends.
Par for Parkinson’s – Event Details
The golf happens Saturday, August 24 at the Winnetka Golf Course in three parts: a golf exhibition, a free lesson and discounted green fees – all available to those who make a donation to The Michael J Fox Foundation through the Par for Parkinson’s link provided here. Friends from the Michael J Fox Foundation will be present to share educational material and answer questions about Parkinson’s Disease.f Exhibition
Golf Exhibition
9am to 10am, on the Winnetka Driving Range, top players in the area will put on an exhibition for spectators to enjoy.
Free Golf Lesson
10am to 12noon, on the Winnetka Driving Range, twenty minute personal golf lesson provided by teaching professionals. Reserve your lesson time here.
Discounted Green Fees
12noon to 2pm, play the newly renovated Winnetka 18 Hole Course. Contact the Winnetka Golf Shop to make your tee time at a discount for Par for Parkinson’s donors.
Dinner Reception
Donors are invited to our Friday evening, August 23 dinner reception hosted by my sister Mary and her husband Tom Stineman at their home along side Skokie CC in Glencoe. The reception invites conversation with friends from the Michael J Fox Foundation, the Northwestern Medicine Parkinson’s Center and the local Parkinson’s community. Donors will receive a formal invitation by email.
Making a Gift
You can make a gift through this link provided by the Michael J Fox Foundation here. Should you choose to make your gift by donor advised fund or check rather than credit card, let me know and I can copy in a Michael J Fox Foundation friend to facilitate. Friend, Mike Keiser, has made a generous lead gift of $50,000. We hope to match and exceed $100,000 in monies raised for Parkinson’s. I am grateful for whatever amount you may choose to give.
Gift Impact
Your gift makes a positive impact for our Parkinson’s community. Gifts made through our previous events helped fund research that led to last year’s biomarker discovery, a major breakthrough providing us with an objective diagnosis of the disease while informing more targeted research towards better therapies and a hopeful cure. Also, gifts made last year helped us launch Parkinson’s Players. Parkinson’s Players provides weekly golf, tennis and ping pong instruction to now one hundred registered players with Parkinson’s who play and make friendships through the program across four Chicago area locations. Here is the NBC News Chicago feature on the ping pong version of our program.
Thank you for caring. You provide our Parkinson’s community hope.
With Gratitude,
Mike DeBartolo
P.S. You might like watching my conversation with friend Bill Bucklew for the documentary Bill is pulling together about living with Parkinson’s, linked here. We talk about adapting to play, getting up when we fall down, and leaning into sources of strength.
