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Volunteers Put Best Foot Forward

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By LIZ BLEAU

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 26, 2008

TAMPA - While their classmates enjoyed fun-filled field trips during a short semester break last week, 10 students from Seffner Christian Academy were working in an office helping log donations to the ALS Association Florida Chapter.

The association raises money to help patients and find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The volunteers, ranging in age from 14 to 17, opted to spend part of their spring break helping the association when school guidance counselor Mallory Everitt asked for assistance. Her mother, Dara Alexander, is president of the ALS Association Florida Chapter, located off Falkenburg Road in Tampa.

"I know from my mom that ALS is always looking for volunteers to help," Everitt said. The students learned data entry and logged donations from a recent walkathon in Clearwater. Money raised from that walk and others planned in the area will be used to care for ALS patients or fund research into the disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progressively paralyzes patients, attacking nerve cells and pathways in the brain or spinal cord. Over time, patients lose the ability to walk, speak, eat and eventually breathe.

Courtney Welch, 16, said her stint in the ALS office was her first time doing that type of community service.

"I've been to children's homes and stuff like that and done some mission work in New Orleans," she said, "but never working in an office like this."

Alexander said the students' help "is a huge service to us. We are so grateful for them."

Tiffany Prentice, 15, said she signed on for the project because "it was something different," and because she was committed to the cause.

"I can't imagine having to live with this disease," she said. "It would be horrible to be unable to move or even communicate. It made me want to do more."

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 865-1557 or lbleau@tampatrib.com.

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