Dear Family and Friends:

I hope this finds you all doing well during these uncertain times! I should have been writing to you today, telling you that on September 26th, Team Raiawould have been participating it its 20th Walk to Defeat ALS. Alas, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted those plans, like it has disrupted so many other aspects of our lives.

In 2019, Team Raia raised a total of $15,225! It is hard to believe that this would have been our 20th walk – and it would sure have been a great one! We are as committed as ever to the fight against ALS. Just because we cannot come together to walk, doesn’t mean that our commitment to the cause will waiver.

The monies raised from the Walks to Defeat ALS in the Greater New York and Northern New Jersey area are helping more than 1,000 local ALS patientsthrough the 5 local ALS Clinics. Services are now being provided through telehealth and virtual support groups – which has also been a game changer for patients who would ordinarily have found it difficult to attend clinics. Your generous donations are making a difference where they are needed most – in the lives of patients – and are now more important than ever! Research is still moving forward, and in the past few months there have been some major breakthroughs in clinical trials. There are treatments on the horizon, and we must ensure that the research continues so that they move from the lab to patients.

My family and I are proud of the efforts and generosity that our friends and family have put forth in helping to eradicate this disease. Since 2001, Team Raia has raised more than $320,000 in the fight against ALS. Today, there is so much hope – THANK YOU for making that possible!

I hope that you can still find a way to support our cause this year. And – you can still join us on Saturday, September 26th through the power of social media! Take a walk around the block, hike a local trail, ride a bike, or run laps around your backyard – and post your photo on social media and tag us! 

We can still ALL come together and make a difference – near or far. 

 Warmest regards,

Christina Raia, Team Captain