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S&A Helps to Raise Awareness to Strike Out ALS at Akron Canal Park

            On Sunday, August 21, 2005, the Akron Aeros (AA Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) hosted the Harrisburg Senators (AA Affiliate of the Washington Nationals) in a minor league baseball match-up at Canal Park, Akron, Ohio.  The Chapter for the ALS Association, Northern Ohio, was in attendance in order to help raise awareness for ALS, which stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”.  Attorney Eric E. Skidmore volunteered as a “Lou Gehrig look-alike” dressed in a throw-back uniform of the 1938 New York Yankees and sporting the retired number “4”.  “It was a beautiful day at the ball park where Chapter volunteers and I handed out ALS t-shirts and mingled with the baseball fans”, said Eric.  “If you want to understand the essence of life, talk to an ALS patient.  Because of circumstances beyond their control, they are forced to look at the most important things in their lives”, added Eric.  “No matter how many ALS events I work as a volunteer, I am always amazed at the resolving courage of those afflicted by ALS”, Eric stated.  “I met a gentleman in a wheelchair who had been diagnosed with ALS within the last nine months . . . he was also a leukemia survivor and I was impressed with his strength, courage and positive perspective on life”, Eric said.  “I learned a lot from that gentleman . . . he helped me focus on what really is important in life.  I try to communicate his perspective to other folks so they do not take life for granted or get bogged down in routine, insignificant and trivial matters”, he concluded.