Boaters For M.S.

Palisades Yacht Club in St. Charles, Mo., is having the first-ever Boaters for M.S. event on September 27. There will be food, booths, 50/50 tickets, music and a dance later that evening. It will be fun for the whole family and all of the proceeds will go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

M.S. is an unpredictable disease of the brain and spinal cord. It can cause blurred vision, weakness, numbness, fatigue or lack of mobility-even paralysis. These symptoms can be mild or severe and may or may not eventually disappear. It is a very frightening disease. I know this because I have it. I was diagnosed with M.S. at age 25 and I have vision damage due to the many episodes of vision loss. I cannot sit or stand for long periods of time due to the problems with my legs and spine. I have battled it for almost 20 years now. My boys were very small when I was first diagnosed and I went through a painful divorce two years later.

My boys are raised now and I am remarried to a wonderful man. My health has slowly gotten worse through the years. However, now there are new medications to help the illness from getting worse, which is something they didn't have 20 years ago. That is one of the things that the M.S. Society does. They do research to possibly find a cure for M.S. They provide financial, emotional and physical help to those who suffer from it. This event I am hosting will help fight M.S.

Bill Kelley has been helping to support this event on his website, for the boaters in the Alton Pool on the Mississippi River, www.riverbills.com. The new owner of Palisades, Amy Spencer, has also been great for allowing us to have the event at her new place of business.

For more information about renting a booth, donations or the event, please contact Sherri Stanczak by calling 314-304-8105 or you can send her an email at Sherri0526@aol.com.