Augie Nieto’s book raises money for ALS research
November 26th, 2007 · Post a Comment · posted by Jan Norman
Newport Beach resident Augie Nieto, 49, has gained more recognition in the past couple of years as the self-proclaimed evangelist and fund-raiser for a cure for ALS (better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) than he did as the man who popularized the Lifecycle stationary bike through his Irvine company Life Fitness Inc.

Read my column about Augie here and an earlier story by Blythe Bernhard here. ALS may be robbing Augie of some physical abilities, yet he exemplifies living life completely every minute.

Now “Augie’s Quest” is a book as well as a personal mission and a Web site. The book retails for $21 but you can buy it here on Amazon for $14.28. Maybe you’d like to send the $6.72 savings to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which is Augie’s fund-raising depository.

Augie and his wife, Lynne, tireless and creative fund-raisers, have come up with another way to allow people to help raise money for ALS research. Go to this Web site, watch the brief video set to the song “100 Years” by John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting, and Glen Tullman and Bert and Cindie Selva will donate $1 to Augie’s Quest.

In a Thanksgiving e-mail to me, Augie recounted his recent appearance on the Today Show, which required a trip to New York, as well as the release of the book, which he was still writing with T.R. Pearson when I interviewed him in June. He “types” using voice recognition software and a mouse operated by foot.

Augie set a 36-month goal for himself to raise $18 million for ALS research. At the 24-month mark he has raised $11 million. He is hoping the book and video put him closer to is goal.

Lynne defined that goal in one of their joint appearances: “They may call it Lou Gehrig’s disease but they will call it Augie Nieto’s cure.”

http://jan.freedomblogging.com/2007/...-als-research/