Bobby,

Is there anyway to alert the media of the abuse of a veteran rolling down the highway in a wheelchair? Obscenities and the finger.

Leon Peek
What is ALS
4016 Royal Wood Blvd
Naples, FL 34112
toll free: 877.884.4798
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obscenity



leon, im glad to hear from u on this.
i have been sending all info,stories from blog, where and when ken will be.
to any and all newspapers,tv news town ken will be going thru or big city he goes by or close to.

will you join me in doing this and get other people to help ?

google up the town news.

please help


bb
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NEWS
Man Kicks Off Wheelchair Ride To Washington For ALS
Saturday, April 19, 2008 1:42:45 PM Tools: | | | View Larger
Video
ALS Walk
ORLANDO -- Hundreds of people in Orange County hit the road at Blue Jacket Park as part of a walk to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Ken Patterson, who suffers from ALS, had a much longer journey planned.

The former Army sergeant began his 940-mile journey by powered wheelchair to Washington, D.C., to bring more attention and awareness to his disease.

Patterson planned to travel 50 miles and 10 hours a day, carrying a letter from others with ALS, detailing their struggles.

Patterson's wife, Glenda, said it was a simple reason for Ken's long journey.

"Raise awareness for ALS. Too many people don't know what it is, and there's no cure for it, and we want researchers to find a cure for this disease," Glenda Patterson said.

Patterson's sendoff was part of a ALS Walk that helped raise over $100,000 for ALS research.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2...n_for_als.html


ALS/MND Registry
http://www.patientslikeme.com/registry

sat-nite Columbia, SC

tonight stop,Orangeburg, SC
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/6-dFg8


Rolling Over ALS Tour
http://www.rolloverals.org/
Rolling Over ALS Tour blog

Thursday, April 24, 2008
WANTED - Dead or Alive - day 5
Today we were greeted by two of Georgia’s finest…NOT! The first officer was very nice; however the second one was on a power trip and was a real JERK. I was forced to give in to the powers that be and ride in the van. Thankfully it was a very short distance to the hotel.

This wheelchair adventure has made me realize even more how our society is so busy and preoccupied with their fast paced lifestyle that whenever they are inconvenienced (for example by the guy driving down the road in a wheelchair) they get absolutely crazy. We were called all kinds of obscenities and received the “one finger wave” more times than I care to count.

Posted by Rolling Over ALS Blog at 3:26 PM 2 comments
They all sound like me - day 4
Today we entered Georgia, where they all have an “ALS Accent” without the muscle atrophy. While the traffic was not an issue, we had a lot of long, VERY long stretches of road with NOTHING on them. The flashing lights we put on the van and trailer stopped working today so before we head out tomorrow we have to check the fuses. The chairs are holding up good, with the exception of the one that has been acting up since day one. The Georgia ALSA Chapter has put us in contact with someone who can take a look at it for us, when he found out I knew Steve S he packed up his tools and left [thanks Steve ].

Posted by Rolling Over ALS Blog at 3:17 PM 0 comments
Leaving home (again) - day 3
This morning I woke up at 7:00AM so I could be ready to ride with my escorts who were to arrive at my hotel around 8:00AM. We rode up A1A then entered to old St Augustine area. This is where we were greeted by bicyclists asking what was going on then about 7 of them asked if they could ride along with us for a while. Unfortunately, not everyone was as pleasant as our tag-along bikers. One lady in a large SUV tried to cut in between the leading officer and the van Glenda was driving…the problem being I was the one in the middle of them. I thought Kevin was going to jump out of his police cruiser while it was still rolling to let this moron have it. We also had several of the passers by honk unfriendly greetings to us. We passed by the fire station I used to work at and then we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we headed into Jacksonville. I thought the afternoon was never going to end. I realize now haw nice it was having the police escorts. We arrived at the hotel around 8:00PM…making for a very long 12 ½ hour day.

Posted by Rolling Over ALS Blog at 3:13 PM 0 comments
Coming home - day 2
Well our morning started out slow and uneventful. There were cars flying past us with total disregard for the vehicles in the other lane.

Around 4pm I entered St Johns County, which is my old stomping ground from my firefighting days. We received a police escort the final 21 miles to our hotel. We were within a half a mile of the hotel when the third chair started flashing that I had a low battery. I barely coasted into the parking lot of the hotel where I was surprised to see a former coworker and dear friend there to welcome me.

Posted by Rolling Over ALS Blog at 3:11 PM 0 comments
Bon Voyage – day 1
The Walk to Defeat ALS in Orlando was a huge success. I, however, didn’t get to enjoy much of it with all the interviews and preparations that still had to be made to kick off the Tour. I didn’t even get my team photo taken or get an official 2008 Walk to Defeat T-shirt. Oh well there is always next year.

At 12:00 we assembled the masses to have a send off. Before I left I was presented wit the “ALS Across America Award” which is given to somebody who embodies the spirit of ALS Awareness. I don’t see where I did that, nor am I doing this for recognition for myself, but in front of all the press and onlookers I didn’t figure I could refuse it. It was an honor to be selected out of the whole nation to receive this award. After my father-in-law said a blessing four of us (Denny N, Rhonda R, Cedric C and I)and our entourages left Blue Jacket Park on my way to Washington DC.

So we are driving along a four lane road… and we got pulled over for going too slow (I usually get pulled over for going too fast). They wanted us to ride on a sidewalk and I officially nominate Winter Park Fl as having the least wheelchair friendly sidewalks…I even got stuck! Everybody dropped off after about five miles and I was on my own. The moron cop that pulled us over offered some less traveled roads to use…all that did was get me lost! DONUT MUNCHERS!
I now understand why Permobil wouldn’t give up some wheelchairs for the Tour…I have had nothing but problems with 2 of the chairs thus far. I thought Rhonda was just a bad driver when she kept weaving all over the place, but after I drove the chair, I found out it wasn’t her. The other chair’s battery lasts about 5 miles…I wasn’t prepared for the sudden stop when it ran out of juice.

We got to the hotel about 10pm and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow…and sunburned from head (what part of it my Red Sox cap doesn’t cover) to the top of my foot (my shoes were on, so it wasn’t to my toes).

Till tomorrow,

Ken

Must see videos...
Created by Glenda
This is the story a local news station did about ALS and the Rolling Over ALS Tour... you gotta watch this one...it is really great.

http://www.wftv.com/video/15958318/index.html

Here is another one, not as good but it is still coverage...

http://www.cfnews13.com/MediaPlayer2...SWalk_04192008...

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Floridian/U.S. Army vet to spread awareness about ALS
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com


An Army Veteran with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) will travel to the nation's capitol by wheelchair to help find a cure for Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Wheelchair-bound Ken Patterson, a man living despite having ALS, also commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, will embark on a 20- day trek traveling by wheelchair to deliver a message to Congress: Veterans are two times more likely to be diagnosed with the progressive, neurodegenerative muscular disease than those with no history of military service.

On April 19, Patterson will begin the 940-mile journey at Orlando, Florida's Blue Jacket Park.

The journey will commence immediately following The ALS Association Florida Chapter's Annual Walk to Defeat ALS. The walk will raise money for research and patient services for people living with ALS in Florida. Patterson will cover nearly 1,000 miles beginning on April 19 and will conclude at the nation's capital on May 11. May is National ALS Awareness Month.

A U.S. Army veteran who specialized in safety training, Patterson, 39, will attend The Association's National Advocacy Day and Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., where he will visit his elected officials and advocate for issues directly affecting ALS patients. Although ALS can strike anyone regardless of age, sex or origin, those who have served in the military are at a greater risk of developing the disease.

The fatal neurodegenerative disease is striking at our nation's heroes the hardest. However, the reasons are not known at this time.

The chapter has proclaimed Patterson and his caregiver, Glenda Patterson, the two people in Florida who best exemplify the spirit of "ALS Across America" during ALS Awareness Month. The national campaign recognizes courageous individuals with ALS and their caregivers who are role models to people with Lou Gehrig's Disease. These special individuals reflect the spirit of the organization as they make a positive difference in their community by expanding awareness of ALS and embodying the spirit of living life to the fullest.

The 20 days of travel will take Patterson through cities and military installations between Orlando and Washington D.C., as he educates others about ALS. Patterson also plans to meet other patients living with ALS along the way and carry their messages to Capitol Hill.

Patterson plans to film the journey and use the footage to inform and educate people about the disease.

"The tour is not a fundraising event: it is strictly intended to raise awareness for people with ALS," Patterson said. "However, we realize that we need financial assistance to make it happen and have collaborated with The ALS Association Florida Chapter to establish a research grant with any monies remaining after the tour."

Throughout ALS Awareness Month, The Association and its nationwide network of 41 chapters will reach out to communities across the country to educate the public about Lou Gehrig's Disease and urge people to join The Association in the fight to make ALS a disease of the past.

The Association's National ALS Advocacy Day and Public Policy Conference, which has grown to be the single largest gathering of the ALS community, and is part of ALS Awareness Month, will be held this year on May 11-13 in Washington, D.C.

The Association is the preeminent leader in the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease. The mission of the organization is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS through global, cutting edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig's Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support.

ALS is a neuromuscular disease with no known treatment or cure. It robs the body of the ability to walk, speak, and eventually breathe.



http://www.gulfbreezenews.com/news/2...ealth/035.html




ALS/MND Registry
http://www.patientslikeme.com/registry









----- Original Message -----
From: Leon Peek
To: Bobby Brannigan
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 10:54 AM
Subject: Rolling ALS


Bobby,

Is there anyway to alert the media of the abuse of a veteran rolling down the highway in a wheelchair? Obscenities and the finger.

Leon Peek
What is ALS
4016 Royal Wood Blvd
Naples, FL 34112
toll free: 877.884.4798


obscenity