Les Turner ALS Foundation Honors District 30’s Lew Blond Run with Volunteer of the Year Award
On May 18, in the 90 minutes it took for the Les Turner ALS Foundation to honor District 30’s Lew Blond Run with the annual volunteer of the year award, someone in the United States was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. In another 90 minutes, someone will die from this catastrophic disease.
When Northbrook/School District 30’s applied technology teacher Lew Blond was diagnosed with ALS in the late 1990’s, everyone rallied around him and his family, providing support on all levels. After he died, the first Lew Blond Memorial 5K Run/Walk, 1 Mile Run was initiated in 2000 by District 30 administrators, faculty and community volunteers.
For 15 years, the majority of the Lew Blond Run proceeds have been donated continuously to the Les Turner ALS Foundation, to help support research for Lou Gehrig’s Disease and the Stuart Rosen Transportation Fund. Stuart Rosen, who lost his life to ALS, was the husband of Maple School secretary and Lew Blond Run Executive Committee member, Michelle Rosen.
Eyes grew misty at Bernie’s Book Bank in Lake Bluff, as both District 30 and The First Bank of Highland Park were commended, honored and awarded glass statues after being named volunteer and corporate partner of the year. In addition, District 30 was named “longest third party organization to host a fundraiser to benefit the Les Turner ALS Foundation.”
Lew Blond Run Executive Committee Director and Maple School Principal, Dr. Nate Carter accepted the statue and thanked his committee members and District 30 administrators, faculty, and the community for their support of the event each year.
Les Turner Foundation hosts who presented the awards included Tom Boleky, Bonny and Harvey Gaffen, Dr. Scott Heller, Rich Hirsch, Ken Hoffman, Josh Newsome, and Cheryl and Alan Turner.
Also in attendance were District 30’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Brian Wegley, Maple’s Assistant Principal Betty Holzkopf, Lew Blond’s friend and Maple art teacher, Dawn Nettelhorst, Maple secretary Michelle Rosen, and former Maple Principal Steve Waitz, who initiated the Lew Blond Run. Lew Blond’s sister Barbara and her mother Mariette Blond were also at the ceremony, and thanked everyone for their support. Mariette Blond is 91 years old and has either participated or attended every Lew Blond Run.
This year’s 16th Annual Lew Blond Run takes place at 8:00 a.m., Saturday, May 21 at Maple School. It’s not too late to sign up at lewblondrun.org.
