Golf Tournament, Auction to Benefit ALS Research at UAMS
| LITTLE ROCK – The seventh annual Paul Dunn Golf Classic & Auction, to benefit the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) search for better treatments and a cure for ALS, will be held May 19 and 21. The tournament is presented by Simmons First and the Jerry Spears Family.
The tournament and auction are held in memory of Arkansas native Paul Dunn and others who have fought the battle against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. All proceeds from the classic will benefit research programs through the ALS Clinic and Research Center at UAMS.
The cost is $500 per team or $125 per person. To register or for information, visit www.pauldunnclassic.com, or call Cathy Sanders at (501) 526-7399.
Upon being diagnosed with the disease in 2000, 28-year-old Paul Dunn asked his friends and fraternity brothers to help him raise money to fight ALS. Dunn witnessed the first two golf tournaments before succumbing to his illness in 2002.
“We’re inspired to hold this tournament each year because of the dedication Paul showed to fighting ALS and educating others about the disease,” said Callan Callaway, a volunteer organizer of the event. “We’re committed to carrying on our promise to Paul until a cure for ALS is found.”
A pre-tournament kickoff and auction with guest emcee Pat Bradley will be held from 6-11:30 p.m. May 19 at the Junior League of Little Rock Building, 401 S. Scott St. Guests can enjoy a dinner buffet, drinks and live music by Richie Johnson and Jeff Coleman, as well as a silent auction starting at 6 p.m. and a live auction beginning at 8 p.m. Hospice Home Care is the auction’s corporate sponsor. Tickets are $25; each golfer in the tournament receives a complimentary ticket to the auction.
The golf tournament is set for May 21 at the Maumelle Country Club, 100 Club Manor Drive, in Maumelle. Registration and a light breakfast will begin at 7 a.m. followed by the first shotgun start at 8 a.m. Lunch and an awards ceremony are scheduled for 11 a.m.
Registration for the second round begins at noon with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m., followed by pizza and awards from 4:30-6 p.m.
The Paul Dunn Golf Classic & Auction has raised more than $130,000 since its inception. Organizers hope to raise $40,000 this year.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease affecting as many as 30,000 Americans. About 5,000 new cases occur each year. ALS destroys cells that control voluntary muscles, which leads to severe muscle wasting and paralysis. Death typically results within three to five years of diagnosis, usually from respiratory complications. The cause of ALS isn’t fully understood, and no cure exists.
The ALS Clinic and Research Center at UAMS follows approximately 75 Arkansans with ALS under the care and direction of Stacy Rudnicki, M.D., and a team of speech, occupational, respiratory and other medical specialists. Research and clinical trials conducted by John P. Crow, Ph.D., and other scientists at UAMS help create new paths and provide hope to finding better treatments and a cure for ALS.
UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, six centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,430 students and 715 medical residents. It is one of the state’s largest public employers with about 9,400 employees, including nearly 1,000 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and UAMS’ Area Health Education Centers throughout the state. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $5 billion a year. For more information, visit www.uams.edu.