Q’n For the Cure – What Can I Do?
Members of The Rocky Mountain
BBQ Association, in conjunction with the Romito Foundation, nearby teams,
businesses, and non-profit organizations, are currently planning The First
Annual Q’n For the Cure to benefit the Romito Foundation, an
organization directly supporting research and development of a cure for
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). This
fund raising event will be held May 1st and 2nd at the Daveco Liquor store
facility - named Guinness Book of World Records record-holder for the Largest
Liquor Store – located at 16434 North Washington St., Thornton Colorado 80023
(just off of I-25 and Hwy 7 in Thornton, CO, north of Denver), with a goal to
raise $250,000 for this unique foundation.
This is a call going out to
our BBQ family to step up and help us have a successful First Annual Q’n
For the Cure. The question
really isn’t “what can I do,” as much as it is “what can’t I do?”
Obviously, we’re in need of
cookers, large and small – and the good news is, no vending license is required
for this event! For those planning to
support, we will start setting up the afternoon of Thursday, 30 April 2009 and
start selling at 11:00 am Friday, May 1st, with live entertainment
and food sales ongoing until 10 pm Friday night. Come Saturday, May 2nd we do it
all over again, with sales starting at 10am through to 10pm. Cleanup and departure will be finished by
noon Sunday.
At the same time, even if you
don't have a large smoker – or no smoker at all - your help is still needed. Volunteers, entertainers, energy, fresh ideas
- perhaps you’ve seen something special that drew crowds and made them want to
open their wallets. Perhaps you can’t
come, but you can pre-cook and ship your food in with a team that’s
participating.
Most of all, we need your network and contacts. Do you know a store that is willing to donate
some goods? Do you know some volunteers
that have specialties in logistics and/or volunteer coordination? Do you know someone with a special talent
and/or business that would be willing to assist? We need help in all of these areas.
If you can complete the
sentence, “I can’t cure those kids, but I can do ,” then we
want to hear from you. We are going to
team up and make this event a huge success. This event is going to take a lot of work and
dedication from those brave enough to commit to the event, but will be well
worth it.
For more information on the Q’n
For the Cure event, please check in on the forums available through the
Rocky Mountain BBQ Association – check out
our “Sign Up Page” topic, found under
the “Charitable Causes” listing - and Ray
Basso’s world-famous The BBQ
Forum; every day we are adding new information, updates, and ideas.
Upcoming activities include
coverage of the event under an approved not for profit organization, adding
additional support for teams participating, and development of a Q’n
For the Cure website.
Please
contact Steve at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, (303-882-9249) for BBQ related
inquiries; or Jo Vroman at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
(303-717-3104) for other
event-related questions or information.
About the Romito Family
The Romito Family consists of
Richard, his lovely wife Jamie, and their four sons: Nick, 15; Dominic, 8;
Collin, 2; and Kaleb, born December 2008.
In December 2006, the family
was given a devastating diagnosis: Dominic has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, or
DMD. The doctor, and the medical team, told them that Dominic would most likely
not walk past the age of ten and would die in his late teens or early twenties.
In November of 2008 Collin was diagnosed with the disease.
The Romito Family has focused
its extraordinary energy on supporting those living with DMD and finding both
short-term and long-term solutions for this disease; they invite you to join
them in their fight to eradicate this killer of our children.
For more information on the
Romito Foundation, please visit http://www.rundrun.com.
Also, please watch the
following video on YouTube to see who you would be helping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btynhs8C6HI
About DMD: The most common fatal genetic disease
DMD is the most common of the
more then 20 different Muscular Dystrophies.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic muscle disorder that
afflicts approximately 15,000 boys in the United States alone. Children with
DMD cannot produce dystrophin, a protein necessary for muscle strength and
function. As a result, every muscle in the body deteriorates. The disease has a
100% death rate and has, at this point, no cure. DMD is the most common fatal
genetic disorder to effect children around the world.
Symptoms usually appear in
male children before age six and may be visible in early infancy. Progressive
muscle weakness of the legs and pelvis associated with a loss of muscle mass is
observed first; eventually this weakness spreads to the arms, neck, and other
areas. Early signs may include enlargement of calf muscles, low endurance, and
difficulties in standing unaided or inability to ascend staircases.
As the condition progresses,
muscle tissue experiences wasting and is eventually replaced by fat and
fibrotic tissue. By age 10, braces may be required to aide in walking but most
patients are wheelchair dependent by age 12. Later symptoms may include
abnormal bone development that lead to skeletal deformities, including
curvature of the spine. Due to progressive deterioration of muscle, loss of
movement occurs eventually leading to paralysis. Intellectual impairment may or
may not be present but if present, does not progressively worsen as the child
ages. The average life expectancy for patients afflicted with DMD varies from
early teens to age mid 30s.
However, there are some signs
of hope. Recent stem-cell research is
showing promising vectors that may replace damaged muscle tissue. Treatment is
generally aimed at control of symptoms to maximize the quality of life. The cure is getting closer, but they still
need more effort towards the research end of things...and that equates to
having more money.
For more information on DMD click on http://www.ygyh.org/dmd/whatisit.htm,
or www.parentprojectmd.org |
