ORANGE, Conn. – For many golf tournaments, the fourth round is the final round. For the Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic, the fourth round means things are just getting started. The fourth annual Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic will be held Friday, June 18, at the Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange.The 2009 event attracted golfers from across the state and raised $6,800 to benefit the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter and the more than 6,000 people in Connecticut living with multiple sclerosis that it serves. East Haven resident Bob Lukaszek established the golf tournament in honor of his sister Helen Langello, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003.“The turnout last year was excellent and it was another wonderful event,” he said. “The community continues to come out for a great day of golf and support a truly worthy cause. My hope is that the proceeds from the Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic will bring us closer to a cure.” Lukaszek, who was honored at the Connecticut Chapter’s annual meeting in 2009 with the Outstanding Third Party Event award, said he is inspired by his sister’s determination in battling MS. “My sister is my best friend and the most resilient person I know,” he shared. “She has been doing well thanks to her treatments and that gives me hope for future research. She drives me to do the best I can in fundraising and raising awareness about this disease.” In its three year history, the Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic has raised more than $20,000 for the Connecticut Chapter. “We have had great success so far with the tournament but my goal is to make the event better each and every year,” Lukaszek said. The registration fee for this year’s tournament is $175 per person. The event will begin with a lunch at noon, followed by a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. and dinner that evening. For non-golfers, there is a $50 donation for the dinner. More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Langello, live with the effects of multiple sclerosis. The cause is unknown, and, as a result, there currently is no cure. Symptoms can include, among other things, numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted. Funds raised through events, such as the Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic, ensure ongoing scientific research to find and cure and provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the chapter. For more information on the Helen’s Heroes MS Golf Classic, please visit www.helensheroes.com or contact Bob Lukaszek at 203-623-3757 or via e-mail at bobl@hartynet.com. To learn more about multiple sclerosis, its effects and the many ways to become involved, please visit the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter’s Web site at www.ctfightsMS.org. |