San Diego CA— The ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter will present its 12th annual ALS Golf Classic, a fundraising golf tournament, on Friday, Jan. 29 at the Native Oaks Golf Club (formerly called Woods Valley Golf Club), 14616 Woods Valley Road, Valley Center. The tournament is open to the public.
Donation to play golf is $200 per player or $800 for a foursome, which includes gift bag, food, beverages on the course, and on the course contests and games (a “golf ball rocket launcher” hole). The tournament features a four-person scramble format, which benefits golfers of all skill levels. Starting tee times on holes No. 1 through No. 10 will range from 8 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Golfers will learn their assigned tee times several days prior to the tournament.

Proceeds will benefit research, care services, resources and programs for people living with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. The previous ALS Golf Classic event raised more than $20,000 in donations.
Sponsors for the 2021 ALS Golf Classic include Macdonald & Cody LLP, Knox Attorney Service, Geico San Diego, Merrill -Bradshaw, Wilczynski & Associates and The San Diego Union-Tribune.
For more information on the ALS Golf Classic, visit www.ALSGolfClassic.net. Interested persons also can contact Eric Andrews, [email protected], or Melissa McElvain, [email protected] or call (858) 271-5547.
According to Andrews, “This golf tournament provides an opportunity for ALS Association supporters, staff members, families affected by ALS and members of the local community to come together to honor the courageous souls affected by ALS, to remember those who have passed, to raise awareness and have a lot of fun in support of a good cause.”
Andrews added, “We’re committed to keeping all of our supporters, volunteers and staff safe while providing a place to enjoy the game our golfers love while raising money and awareness for ALS. We have shifted to a staggered tee time format and will be enforcing additional measures and precautions, as recommended by the Native Oaks Golf Club and local government through the duration of our event.”
Medical expenses associated with ALS, including medical equipment, programs and services, can cost up to $250,000 annually, depleting families’ life savings. All services for patients and families are provided by the ALS Chapter at no charge. In addition, the Chapter also maintains a 2,500-square-foot storage facility, referred to as a loan closet, with hospital beds, scooters and other durable medical equipment provided to ALS patients and families at no charge. Currently, ALS officials said more than 200 San Diego and Imperial county residents are registered with the local ALS chapter.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in people living with ALS weakens muscles and impacts physical function. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which usually leads to total paralysis. Life expectancy for a person with ALS is within two to five years of diagnosis of initial symptoms. There is no cure, cause or no life-prolonging treatments for the disease.
The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit voluntary health organization dedicated solely to fighting against ALS on every front through research, public policy and care services. The mission of the ALS Association is to find a cure for and improve the lives of people living with ALS. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, the ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure.
The Greater San Diego Chapter, chartered in February 2013, is one of 39 chapters nationwide. The San Diego chapter works closely with the ALS San Diego Clinic at the University of California San Diego, which has been certified as a Center of Excellence by the national ALS organization. At its San Diego offices, the local chapter also showcases an ALS bedroom and bathroom that is equipped with features and benefits that would be helpful to people with ALS. For more information about the ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter, visit www.alsasd.org.