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Teachers plan benefit concert for counselor
By Amy L. Ashbridge

staff Writer


A group of teachers at Morris Central School is organizing a fundraising concert Saturday to benefit a former colleague.


The concert is being held for George Murray, a former substitute at the school.


Murray, 35, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in October. The disease is also known as Lou Gehrig�s disease.


It causes muscle weakening and paralysis; the disease is incurable and affects one out of every 100,000 people, according to the National Institutes of Health.


Murray is a guidance counselor at Riverside Elementary School in Oneonta.


"I�m doing pretty good still," Murray said. "I still have most of the function in my arms."


The fundraiser will be from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at the Elks Club in Oneonta.


"It�s great," Murray said. "I�m humbled by the whole thing

Lee Sperling, an art teacher at Morris, is one of the organizers for the event. Sperling said Murray was a substitute at Morris, and his wife, Kim, had been a speech teacher at the school. People at the school wanted to do something to help the Murrays, Sperling said.


"I felt bad for the family," Sperling said. "I wanted to do something to bring everyone together and have a fundraiser."


Sperling said the musicians are donating their time for the concert. The Elks Club is donating space and will just take the proceeds from a cash bar. He added that 100 percent of the concert donations will go to the family.


"I just hope that we get a good turnout," he said Monday.


The concert costs a $10 donation per person. Sperling said people don�t have to know Murray to come to the concert. Groups scheduled for the event are Too Many Divas, Panhandle, Sheila Geer and Cheryl Ernst, Tim Iverson and Doug Ernst, Michael Levenstein "and friends," and Eric Haight from "Off the Record."


"(The Murrays) are looking forward to it," Sperling said. "It�s going to be a big party."



Sperling said money from the fundraiser should help the family be able to accomplish some of the items on their wish list.


The Murrays have a list of places they�d like to see while George can still travel; Murray said ALS patients have different progressions of the disease.


The travel wish list includes another trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and a trip to Louisiana. The Outer Banks trip is planned for April.


"We�re hoping to take our 2-year-old to Sesame Street Place in Pennsylvania," Murray said. "He loves �Sesame Street� right now."


Murray said his family doesn�t know how to thank those that are doing the fundraiser for them.

"I can�t even thank them with words," Murray said. "We just want to thank everyone who takes part in it."


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Amy L. Ashbridge can be reached at aashbridge@thedailystar.com or 432-1000, ext. 213 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213.