South Side Irish Parade Taps Les Turner ALS As Grand Marshal

CHICAGO, IL - The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has tapped the Les Turner ALS Foundation as the Grand Marshal for the 2017 edition of the parade. The nonprofit organization has been Chicago’s leader in research, patient care and education about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) for 40 years. Christmas Without Cancer has been named this year’s Honoree. The nonprofit organization identifies Chicagoland families in need and provides gifts and basic necessities to families stricken with cancer. The Grand Marshal and Honoree will lead the parade set to step off at noon on Sunday, March 12, from 103rd and Western in Chicago’s Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood.

“We are proud to honor the Les Turner ALS Foundation as the Grand Marshal of our parade,” says Jeannie Kovak, South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade co-chair. “The organization brings hope and help to individuals and their families suffering from ALS by providing services such as in-home consultations and equipment loans and supporting the Les Turner Research and Patient Center at Northwestern Medicine. The Foundation serves the vast majority of people with ALS across Chicagoland including many Beverly area families,” adds Kovak.

ALS is a rapidly progressive disease that causes muscle weakness, difficulty speaking and swallowing and, generally, complete paralysis. As one of the nation’s largest, independent ALS organizations, the Foundation is dedicated to the advance of scientific research into the causes, treatments and prevention of ALS; to provide people living with ALS, their families and caregivers exceptional clinical care and support services; and to increase awareness and education of ALS.

Marching with the Grand Marshal will be Beverly’s Meg Rooney and her family who have worked closely with Les Turner ALS Foundation to increase awareness about ALS and raise money to find a cure. Meg’s husband, John Rooney, succumbed to ALS in June 2016 and John’s mother and aunt also died of the disease. John was a well-known and respected reporter during a 27-year career at the Chicago Daily Bulletin and earned several awards for his coverage of the 1982 Tylenol killings for the City News Bureau of Chicago. Additional area families afflicted by ALS will join the Grand Marshal to help shine a spotlight on the debilitating disease and how people can help.

“Our family is honored to march alongside the Grand Marshal. The Les Turner ALS Foundation became an invaluable member of our family as we faced the diagnosis and realities of the disease, always offering practical advice, necessary equipment and services supporting not only to John but our entire family,” Rooney said. “We strive to help the Les ALS Turner Foundation reach out and provide caring services and support for more families,” adds Rooney.

Since 2003, Christmas Without Cancer has identified and adopted multiple families battling cancer providing them with gift cards for groceries, medications, gas and assistance with rent, mortgage or tuition payments to help bring cheer during the Christmas season. Founded by Evergreen Park resident Gerri Neylon, a nurse in the radiation oncology department at Advocate Christ Medical Center who wanted to do something positive for some of the many families she served. Over the years Christmas Without Cancer has expanded their impact and now offers support to families facing cancer year-round and not just during the holiday season.

“Christmas Without Cancer started as a simple gesture and has grown to become an organization where strangers pay it forward with their donations helping reach more families facing a cancer diagnosis. We honor Christmas Without Cancer as the caring actions exemplify how our greater community works together to help one another in times of need,” Kovak said.

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PARADE:

The South Side Irish Parade will kick off the festivities with a pre-parade fundraiser on Saturday, February 25, 2017. The event will feature raffle prizes, a silent auction, the South Side Irish Parade Queen Selection, live Irish music and much more. The party will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 West 115th Street, Merrionette Park, IL, 60803.

Tickets are $30 when pre-purchased online or $40 at the door. Admission includes a dinner buffet, draft beer and wine. The Larkin & Moran Brothers and Sean & Charlie will provide live music inside the 115 Bourbon Street Performance Hall. Irish traditional music sessions will also be heard inside The Saloon.

Visit South Side Irish Parade for more information on purchasing parade merchandise including pint glasses, stemless wine glasses, toasting glasses and customized street pole banners that line the parade route and into the neighborhood. Parade apparel is available at South Side Irish Imports located at 3446 W. 111th St. Chicago.