Bright Side of the Road Foundation » Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org Dedicated to ALS prevention, education, and cure Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:50:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en Bright Side Coming to the New Burntwood Tavern! http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2012/01/12/two-cleveland-area-guest-bartending-events/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2012/01/12/two-cleveland-area-guest-bartending-events/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:44:18 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1174 Bartending for a Cure at Burntwood in Rocky River

Come to the new Burtwood Tavern in Rocky River on Saturday, February 4th from 7:00pm - 11pm.

We have assembled the hippest, hottest, and craziest activist bartenders in Northeast Ohio…and they’ll need your help! Join us on Saturday, February 4th to celebrate friends, share a drink or two, and leave tips for your favorite bartenders that will fund research to find a cure for ALS (better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

A favorite of the Bright Side of the Road Foundation, Burntwood Tavern offers a warm and inviting atmosphere with a copper top bar, leather soft seating, barnwood beams, and a straightforward menu with steaks, sliders, hand cut fries, smoked, planked, and wood grilled food.

Plus enjoy a fine selection of wines and beers from around the world!

Plus we’ll have live music courtesy of Bright Side friends and favorites “SoulShine!”

The new Burntwood Tavern is located at:

Rocky River
19304 Detroit Rd
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
ph (440) 333-6700

Click here to find out more about our Rocky River Guest Bartending Event!

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2012/01/12/two-cleveland-area-guest-bartending-events/feed/ Over $30,000 Raised by the North Carolina Marty Party! http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/11/22/over-30000-raised-by-the-north-carolina-marathon-marty-party/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/11/22/over-30000-raised-by-the-north-carolina-marathon-marty-party/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:34:43 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1169 Thank you to everyone for all of your wonderful support of The Marty Party Part Duex!

With your help, over $30,500 was raised to support ALS research in just one day!

Click below to see our pictures from our day at the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon…

We’re proud to share with you these heartfelt comments from some of our Thunder Road runners…

“Thanks to all for an incredible day. Although ALS has changed so much of my life it has not dampened my spirit. Relationships with family, friends and loved ones as well as my strong faith have sustained me. I am most grateful for all of you who braved the cold and ran, cheered us on and donated so generously. Supporting a cause so close to my heart gives me so much encouragement to continue this fight. I remain hopeful that effective treatments and eventually a cure will come to this disease where until recently, there has been little progress. Special Thanks to Jen Leonard who along with Fred Levy willed this event to happen. Barry - thanks for your inspiration!”
-Marty D’Amore

“It’s incredible to think five guys, only one of whom I have met before would give up their Saturday to push me for 26.2 miles. Although I can not see them during the race, I feel every bit of their pain, joy, competiveness and passion for running. It takes a great deal of teamwork to complete this race and it’s that kind of teamwork the keeps Bright Side of the Road Foundation working the way it does. Thanks for letting me be part of the whole experience.
-Barry Winovich

“More inspirational than I dreamed. The whole day was a spiritual high.  I think overcoming the pain while pushing was part and parcel of this 26 mile spiritual journey. And what a reward it was to have Will jump on at 25 to cruise up that final hill to the finish. As I told Barry after the marathon, I consider the Bright Side Crew (Barry, Jen, Jack, Treg, and numerous others that I have met who hail from Cleveland and Chagrin) great friends. This all has happened because Marty is one of my most cherished buddies and because Dave Pearce, the leader of Sonic Tonsil, was our link to Barry and Bright Side. How lucky we have all been to meet each other. All of the First Waltz’s and Marty Parties have been lifetime highlights. Oh, and the Party at Dixies, where I saw Marty and Barry’s smiling faces, surrounded by loving friends will never be forgotten.  We look forward to the Atlanta Guest Bartendering and the Cleveland Marathon in May of 2012.”
- Fred Levy

“First, many thanks to Barry, Marty, Fred and Jen for allwoing me to be part of the team.  What an inspiration you all are to those you are touching.  So easy it would be for Barry and Marty to spiral into despression and stay home.  But, they haven’t; they are out there fighting.  It was sheer joy to be with them yesterday, so beautiful.  One of the most special moments for me was watching Barry’s son, Will, take it all in as he sat on his dad’s lap as we approached the finish line.  I hope that he will realize that there is a hope even greater than finish lines in this life.”
-Bryan Allf

“Please understand what an absolute honor it was to help in something larger than a personal race.  We were not heroes, more just a vehicle that Barry and Marty’s story could be told and understood by other’s.  Marathons are as much a mental game as they are a physical test.  When you have been running a while and are starting to hurt,, you can start to feel sorry for yourself.  There was non of that Saturday.  We were party of something so much bigger - Barry and Marty inspired us.  What an honor…thank you for letting me be part of this!”
-Todd Davis

“In the past 15 years, I have participated in at least 75 races of different types including 3 ironman triathlons, at least 50 other shorter triathlons, and several marathons including the Disney marathon and Marine Corps marathon. I’ve been to the Tour de France, a World series, a Stanley Cup finals game, and a college championship game. The Marine Corps marathon, in particular, was very special since it was a month after the attacks of Sept 11th, and the participants and the crowds were amazing as we ran by the destruction at the Pentagon.

This past Saturday, I had the honor to run in the most memorable race and sporting event of my life. I joined 4 amazing men who ran for a friend to raise awareness and money for ALS research through the Brightside Foundation. . As a team, we pushed the most inspirational man I have ever met 26.2 miles up and down the hills of Charlotte in 30 degree weather. I think Barry had the loudest cheers out of all 5000 runners that day. I couldn’t hear from all the cheering, but I think Barry wanted us to get that free shot of whiskey at mile 24.

It was truly an honor to run with my new friends and meet the great people from Brightside. But most of all, I want to thank both Marty and Barry (and their families) for letting me share this amazing experience with them. I will never forget it.”
-Dan Tuffy

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/11/22/over-30000-raised-by-the-north-carolina-marathon-marty-party/feed/ Columbus Guest-Bartending Photos http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/28/see-you-in-columbus-on-friday/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/28/see-you-in-columbus-on-friday/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:44:47 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1155 Bright Side of the Road Foundation loved returning to Columbus for another great night of fundraising and guestbartending at the Rude Dog Bar & Grill at Polaris on Friday, September 30th. Thank you to all of our bartenders, their supporters, and our live band for the night OTD!

Thanks again to this stellar lineup of guest bartenders:

Melissa Almaguer
Jean Cesario
Tracy Cherry
Julie Cline
Ari Coatney
Gaylynn Cornwell
Tom Diederich
Julia Ford-Ruth
Mike Gast
Mike Goodfleisch
Beth Hinton
Michael Hopcraft
Wendy Licis
Brett Lindsey
Melissa Lineberry
Bob Niemi
Jim Rollins
Kara Spidle
Len Vega
Kenneth Wallace
Holly Warner
Bob Wing

If you couldn’t make the event, you can still click here to leave a tip for your favorite bartender!

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/28/see-you-in-columbus-on-friday/feed/ Bright Side of the Course 2011 http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/02/bright-side-of-the-course-2011/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/02/bright-side-of-the-course-2011/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:34:48 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1148

From Tommy Gallagher, Event Organizer:
It’s been a over a year since we lost good friend Jim Garibaldi to ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and we continue to miss his spirit and heart everyday. While Jim’s fight with ALS was short, his determination and will was inspiring to all of us. During one of my last conversations with Jim, he told me to “play as much golf as you can and enjoy every moment.”

So with that in mind, we have organized the Second Annual Bright Side of the Course Golf Tournament on September 14th at the Aurora Golf Club.This is a full day event consisting of lunch, 18 holes of golf at the Aurora Country Club (Jim Beers PGA Professional), Cocktails, and a Clam Bake Awards Dinner with entertainment.

The Golf Tournament

The golf tournament will consist of a 4-person scramble with various contents such as hole-in-one, longest drive, putting competition and more. Golfers also have the unique opportunity to be part of our fund-raising team to raise ALS research funding in honor of our buddy Jim Garibaldi.

Click here for more details and to register.

Not Golfing? Join Us for a Fun-Filled Awards Dinner!

If you don’t want to golf, but still want to take part in a fun event for a great cause, please join us for our awards dinner at Aurora Golf Club. Enjoy appetizers and a great Clam Bake all courtesy of Mazzulo’s.

Plus we’ll have fun entertainment all night long!

Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/09/02/bright-side-of-the-course-2011/feed/ Hudson Guest Bartenders Raise Over $26,000! http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/08/11/hope-to-see-you-at-our-hudson-guest-bartending-on-saturday-night/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/08/11/hope-to-see-you-at-our-hudson-guest-bartending-on-saturday-night/#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:30:39 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1137 Thanks for joining us at the Old Whedon Grille on Saturday, August 13th for a Bright Side Guest Bartending event.

Check out our photos of the great event which raised over $26,000!

We loved having the opportunity to gather and celebrate friends, share a drink or two, and gather tips that will fund research to find a cure for ALS (better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/08/11/hope-to-see-you-at-our-hudson-guest-bartending-on-saturday-night/feed/ Brightside Jenny Skydives for ALS! http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/30/brightside-jenny-skydives-for-als/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/30/brightside-jenny-skydives-for-als/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:49:53 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1131

All of us at Bright Side work together to raise awareness and research funding for ALS. Along our journey, we are lucky to meet new people that join our band of hands and become our friends.

This past winter, I met an extraordinary woman, Erin Beckman, who lost her husband, Chris, in January.  When Erin told me that she wanted to bring a young, fresh and most importantly, a fun approach to raising funds and awareness for ALS by Skydiving, I was all in!

On June 4th, a beautiful Saturday morning, I headed to Lebanon, OH to jump out of a perfectly good airplane as part of Skydive for ALS in O-H-I-O with all money raised going to ALS-TDI. After all, it has always been on my bucket list and with ‘a reason’ to jump there was no turning back for me.

Courage is “being afraid and doing it anyway.”  Barry, Treg, Vince, Marty, Trish, and so many others face their disease with courage every day.  I jumped in their honor.  Crazy ?  Yes.  Inspiring and fun?  You can’t imagine how much!

Interested in doing something inspiring for to raise awareness or funding for ALS research? Please drop me an email, and Bright Side of the Road can help empower you to do the incredible as part of our Band of Hands!

Learn more about the incredible legacy of Chris Beckman here…

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/30/brightside-jenny-skydives-for-als/feed/ CVS/pharmacy Fundraiser Features Bright Siders http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/22/cvspharmacy-fundraising-campaign-features-bright-siders/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/22/cvspharmacy-fundraising-campaign-features-bright-siders/#comments Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:18:57 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1121 On June 5, CVS/pharmacy kicked-off its 10th annual in-store fundraising campaign — “Researching a Cure” — to support the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Funds raised through the campaign benefit the ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA), a leading organization dedicated to advancing ALS research.

At the center of this campaign are two well-known Bright Siders. This year’s campaign co-chairs are Treg Charlton, a regional director of real estate for CVS Caremark, and Barry Winovich, Charlton’s lifelong friend and Bright Side of the Road Foundation founder. Both men are living with ALS, and they have teamed with CVS/pharmacy to raise awareness about the devastating disease.

Both will join celebrity sponsors, former NFL player Kevin Turner, who also has ALS, and country music star Ty Herndon, as spokespeople to educate the public through in-store videos and events and by sharing their own personal stories. Herndon’s inspirational “Journey On,” the official song for Turner’s nonprofit ALS organization, The Kevin Turner Foundation, will be featured prominently in this year’s campaign.

Treg Charlton, 45, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio is a young father who was diagnosed with ALS in March 2010. Using the Researching a Cure campaign as a platform, Charlton has become an inspiration to others living with ALS. “With the support of my wife, Dianne, and our beautiful daughters, I’ve been able to fight this battle with a positive attitude. I continue to remain optimistic about finding a cure, and am proud to work with ATA and CVS/pharmacy to help fund new ALS research.”

Barry Winovich, 45, also of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, has battled ALS since 2006. Winovich joins Charlton — a close friend since grade school — as co-chair of the Researching a Cure campaign. A father of three and loving husband to his wife Kelley, Winovich is the founder of the Bright Side of the Road Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding scientific research into the cause of and cure for ALS.
Each year, Jon Roberts, executive vice president for CVS Caremark who lost his wife to ALS, serves as honorary chair of the Researching a Cure campaign because of his personal connection to the disease.

Roberts said, “I know how difficult it can be to fight this terrible disease, and I’m amazed by Treg, Barry and Kevin’s courage and commitment to fundraising for ALS research. The stories of these young men have an impact on all of us at CVS/pharmacy, our customers and especially those living with ALS. I want to thank them and Ty Herndon for creating awareness of ALS and motivating CVS/pharmacy customers to donate to this very important campaign.”

ALS is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive degeneration of motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord, typically leading to paralysis and death within four to six years. There is no known cause or cure for ALS, which affects approximately 25,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Dr. Robert H. Brown, Jr., executive director of ALS Therapy Alliance, said, “As the largest corporate donor of the ALS Therapy Alliance, CVS/pharmacy has been instrumental in making the ALS research that has been conducted over the past 10 years possible. Their annual in-store campaign provides the funding we need to understand the cause, risk factors and progression of ALS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. Thanks to the efforts of CVS/pharmacy and its customers, we’re conducting ground-breaking research that is bringing us one step closer to finding a cure for ALS.”

Through the Researching a Cure campaign, CVS/pharmacy has raised more than $23 million in its stores and online at www.cvs.com, to fund new clinical research with the aim of discovering a treatment or cure for ALS. The 2011 campaign will run through June 25.

To learn more about this year’s Researching a Cure campaign, view the Researching a Cure video or make a donation, please visit www.ResearchingACure.org. To learn more about Kevin Turner’s commitment to ALS research and to view Ty Herndon’s “Journey On” video, visit www.KevinTurnerFoundation.org.

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/22/cvspharmacy-fundraising-campaign-features-bright-siders/feed/ 2011 Ladies Cleveland Open Partners with Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/08/2011-ladies-cleveland-partners-with-bright-side/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/08/2011-ladies-cleveland-partners-with-bright-side/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:36:57 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1109

The 2011 Ladies Cleveland Open Pro Circuit Tennis Championship will be June 19th to 26th at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club in Chagrin Falls.

This is a USTA Pro Circuit $10,000 tournament that gives young players the opportunity to earn their first world ranking points. The women who compete are junior and college players who may be ranked as high as number 250 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour world rankings.

The tournament has free admission Sunday June 19th through Friday June 24th. $10 admission per day; semi finals Saturday June 25th and finals Sunday June 26th.

A portion of the proceeds from this tournament  will be distributed to Bright  Side of the Road Foundation to support our mission of funding ALS research.

There are various ways you can participate in the tournament. Sign ups and more detail on each event are at the CVAC tennis reception desk 440.543.5141 X133, cvaclub.com racquet sports or info@cvaclub.com. Registration is required for each event, space is limited for each.

Participate in the events and festivities:

Monday, June 20th

Pro Am  ~  4:00 to 5:30 pm , Player Meet & Greet  ~ 5:30 pm . $100 per person.
The Pro Am is a fun opportunity to participate with and against the professionals that you  will get to see compete during  the week. Enjoy light appetizers and beverage at the  Player Meet & Greet.

Tuesday, June 21st

Kids Festival ~ 1:00 to 2:00 pm for 10 & under ; 2:00 to 3:30 pm for 11 yrs & older. Free when    registered. The clinics will include games, prizes & instruction from the professional players.

Adult Tennis Festival and Exhibition~ 6:00 to 8:00pm. Free when registered. Come join local tennis enthusiast with a tennis clinic, contests, festival games and exhibition with the Pro Ladies Circuit players. Enjoy light appetizers and a cash bar after the exhibition.

Wednesday, June 22nd

Ladies Day Clinic & Luncheon ~ Clinic 9:30 to 11:30 am, luncheon to follow. $75 per person. Clinic includes gifts, prizes and a chance to learn from some of the top up & coming  professionals as well as area club professionals. Delicious lunch to follow the mornings activities.

Saturday June 25th & Sunday June 26th

Court Side Reserved Seating ~ Two matches each day 10:00 am and 1:00 pm

Semi-finals on Saturday, finals on Sunday. $100 per person for both days, $500 for a table of six. Exclusive court side seats with incredible view of the action. Complimentary mimosa and  luncheon between matches. Enjoy the best seats in the house. Price is total for both days court side seats and lunch.

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/06/08/2011-ladies-cleveland-partners-with-bright-side/feed/ Photos and Thoughts on Team Brightside & the Cleveland Marathon http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/05/26/photos-and-thoughts-on-team-brightside-the-cleveland-marathon/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/05/26/photos-and-thoughts-on-team-brightside-the-cleveland-marathon/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 18:05:37 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1105 Thank you for your wonderful donation in support of Team Brightside!

With your help,$20,000 was raised to support ALS research as our friend & founder Barry Winovich completed the Cleveland Marathon while being pushed by Team Brightside, four friends and marathon runners.

Each runner took turns pushing the chair, and they made the run in 3 hours, 35 minutes, 18 seconds. Barry was secured in a running chair supplied by Heart of Ohio Chapter of My Team Triumph, a program created for those with disabilities who would normally not be able to experience events such as marathons.

Click here to see our pictures from our day at the Cleveland Marathon.

We’re also proud to share with you these heartfelt comments from some of our runners and volunteers…

“I’ve experienced many great moments in my running career, but none more personally rewarding than crossing the finish line Sunday with Barry, Josh, Jim and Colin.  It was a special moment for a great cause.  Thank you to all who supported us.  You were with us every stride.” -Jim Rowell

“What an inspirational day and an experience together that really touched me.  I am honored to help Barry and Bright Side again and again.” -Josh Rush

“It was a privilege to be with this group and part of this event with Barry.  We took him over potholes and drenched him in rain, and he smiled through it all. It was a day I will never forget.” -Jim Henry

“Of all the miles in my 50 marathons, none of them meant as much as each step with Team Brightside.  Thank you for including me to be part of your journey; I am forever changed.” -Colin Cooper

“Congratulations to everyone - what an amazing day!  I’m proud to be associated with Jim, Josh, Colin and Jim.  Accomplishments sometimes start as simple ideas and blossom into something bigger than imagined.  An experience never to be forgotten.” -Joe Vishey

“At every mile marker, I reminded myself what I was thankful for.  As a physical therapist, I see first-hand the devastating effects of ALS on the body and how difficult the struggle can be.  I am inspired by Barry and others living with ALS who continue to fight to write their own stories not dictated by a diagnosis.” -Tricia Cusma

“What an incredible day! I felt honored to be a part of Team Brightside.  The experience was uplifting and humbling.  Because of you, Barry, I will always choose to take the Bright Side of the Road!” -Jen Kreps

“I ran because I could.  What I received was inspiration, smiles and hope - a gift I am very grateful for.”  -Jen Piro

“The sense of accomplishment when I finished had nothing to do with running 13.5 miles.  It was knowing that I was fortunate enough to be part of a team that is making a difference in the fight against ALS.  I am so proud and happy to have been part of this team.” -Maureen Stauffer

“I have never run in a marathon that has been more important to me.  Knowing that I helped someone like Barry made this run so much more meaningful.” -April Delaney

Read more about Barry and the event at…

The Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Chagrin Valley Times

]]> http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/05/26/photos-and-thoughts-on-team-brightside-the-cleveland-marathon/feed/ Barry Winovich & Team BrightSide Take on the Cleveland Marathon! http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/05/05/barry-winovich-team-brightside-take-on-the-cleveland-marathon/ http://brightsideoftheroad.org/2011/05/05/barry-winovich-team-brightside-take-on-the-cleveland-marathon/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 15:41:55 +0000 Bright Side http://brightsideoftheroad.org/?p=1100 Bright Side of the Road Foundation is proud to be a part of the 2011 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. We are an official Charity Partner for this incredible event, and there are a number of ways for you to be part of our Team Brightside on May 15th…

Support Team BrightSide’s Four Men & a Friend!

To showcase our participation as a charity partner of the event, four marathon runners are going to push our founder Barry Winovich in a historic run through the entire 26.2 mile course! Barry will be riding in a running chair supplied by our friends at the Heart of Ohio Chapter of myTEAM TRIUMPH, an athletic ride-along program created for those with disabilities who would normally not be able to experience endurance events such as triathlons or road races. Pushing Barry will be Jim Rowell, Jim Henry, Colin Cooper, and Josh Rush. These four men have been training with their friend Barry for an incredible run on May 15th while spreading awareness for ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

Please show your support for their dedication by making a tax-deductible donation to any of our runners.

Funds will support ALS research initiatives at the Cleveland Clinic.

Run the Marathon or Half-Marathon on behalf of Bright Side!

Are you a runner and plan on running this scenic tour of our Northcoast? You can register as a supporter of Bright Side of the Road Foundation and receive a discounted rate for the run! Click here for registration information.

Help Us at the Bright Side Water Station at the Cleveland Marathon’s finish line!

Bright Side will be operating at water station at the finish line of the marathon, and we’re looking for volunteers to help! This is a great way to be a part of the special day, for Barry, for Bright Side of the Road, and for all of Cleveland! The finish line at the marathon is a special place to be on race day, and we would love to have you join us!!! Plus you’ll receive a free official “Bright Side of the Road Foundation” tee for being part of the team on race day!

Click to email Bright Sider Jen Leonard if you would like to assist on race day!

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