Merritt Athletic Club to Support ALS Foundations with June 27th ‘Zumbathon for ALS’ Fundraiser

The Brigance Brigade Foundation, an organization that supports ALS patients and their families created by former NFL player O.J. Brigance and his wife Chanda, today announced that the organization is teaming up with Merritt Athletic Clubs and Augie’s Quest to host the inaugural Zumbathon for ALS. The Zumathon will take place on Friday, June 27, 2014 from 6-8pm at Merritt Athletic Club’s downtown location. 50% of the event’s proceeds will be donated to the Brigance Brigade Foundation and 50% will be donated to Augie’s Quest.

The June 27th event will feature a 2 hour long Zumba class led by Merritt Athletic Club’s top Zumba instructors. Participants will enjoy a live DJ, instruction from a Zumba Master Trainer, an appearance by the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders, and a fun and lively atmosphere. Registration is $30 per person and can be done online through BriganceBrigade.org. The first 400 people to register will receive a free ‘Together We Dance’ t-shirt. Participants will also have the opportunity to raise additional donations for the event through a fundraising website.

“It is so encouraging to see more events and opportunities being created to raise awareness and funds for ALS,” said O.J. Brigance, Co-Founder of the Brigance Brigade Foundation. “We are so thankful that Merritt Athletic Club came to us with this idea and is able to share their resources and audience to bring attention to this disease that paralyzes so many people. Chanda and I can’t wait to see everyone up and dancing on June 27th!”

Fifty percent of the funds generated from the event will be donated to the Brigance Brigade Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides patient service assistance and support to ALS patients and families to enhance their quality of life, and the other fifty percent of the funds will be donated to MDA® Augie's Quest®, a nonprofit research initiative dedicated to finding treatments and cures for ALS.

“Merritt is excited to focus our charitable mission on two amazing organizations, said Donyel Cerceo, marketing director for Merritt Athletic Clubs.  “We have many members who have friends and family members suffering from this disease and we wanted to do our part to raise awareness and help find a cure for ALS.  We are counting on our members and the public to really come together for this fun event and make it a success.”

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive motor neuron disease that robs people of the ability to move, eat and breathe on their own. Both O.J. Brigance and Augie Nieto are nationally recognized voices in the fight to help those suffering from the disease. After a successful career in the CFL and NFL, Brigance serves as the Senior Advisor to Player Development for the Baltimore Ravens and Co-Founder of the Brigance Brigade Foundation. A pioneer in the fitness industry, Nieto co-founded Life Fitness, Inc. and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI).

“The overwhelming support that Augie’s Quest is receiving from Merritt Athletic Clubs and the entire fitness industry has helped make great progress in the research lab,” said Augie Nieto, Chief Inspiration Officer of Augie’s Quest. “We are closer than ever to finding a treatment for ALS. I know that fundraising events in health clubs like Merritt through our Clubs for the Quest campaign is making a difference and giving hope to thousands of families affected by this terrible disease. Together we will win the war against ALS.”

The Zumbathon for ALS will be held at Merritt Athletic Club’s downtown location, located at 210 E. Centre Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. For more information and to register, please visit BriganceBrigade.org.