Help Local MDA Kids Attend Camp This Summer

You may recall seeing the green shamrocks in The Markets and other retail stores and restaurants around this time of year.  For the ninth year, The Markets will be hosting MDA Shamrocks Against Dystrophy in each of our stores.  (MDA stands for Muscular Dystrophy Association)

Your checker will ask if you'd like to "buy" a green shamrock for $1, a gold one for $5 or a platinum one for $10.  The money raised in our stores will help send kids to a week of camp at Lake Stevens, Summer camp offers a host of activities specially designed for young people who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.  Activities include swimming, boating, baseball, horseback riding and talent shows, all at no cost, thanks to fundraising campaigns like Shamrocks Against Dystrophy.

The money you donate also supports several local MDA programs in our communities.  These include support groups for those with muscular dystrophy and their families, research for cures at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Medical Center, as well as free loaner items, such as wheelchairs, and financial support to repair necessary equipment.  There are two MDA clinics, one at Children's Hospital in Seattle and one at the University of Washington, both supported by fundraising.

In western Washington, MDA serves over 2,000 children and adults affected by the 43 different types of neuromuscular diseases.  These diseases are characterized by a progressive degeneration of voluntary muscles.  Two of the more familiar diseases include amyotrophic lateral schlerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), and Duchenne muscular dystrophy,

Entertainer Jerry Lewis has raised millions of dollars through a Labor Day Telethon for many years, focusing on MDA.  As a voluntary health agency, MDA receives no government funds and its work is dependent on donations from the communities it serves.

So when your checker asks if you'd like to buy "Good Luck for a Buck", remember your dollar, five dollar or ten dollar gift can go a long way to help someone whose mobility is limited.  You can make a difference for families right here in our communities.  For more information, check out www.mda.org   The Shamrocks Against Dystrophy campaign runs through March 17.