September 2009

Dear Family and Friends                                                                                           

We would like to ask for your support in helping the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) fund research to find a cure for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a rare, genetic, progressive, neurodegenerative, multi-system, life shortening disease that along with 40 other neuromuscular diseases is supported by MDA. As many of you know our son, Jon, has FA and our two daughters, Kristen and Kelley, are carriers of this recessive genetic disease.

Linda and I are willing to do anything we can to help Jon and others that are battling this disease. We agreed again to co-chair with MDA an event to raise awareness and research dollars for FA. On, Thursday April 22, 2010 we will be holding the third annual: Reach for a Cure Wine Tasting: An Evening Supporting Friedreich’s Ataxia Research at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter Hotel – Atlanta Perimeter. We have raised over $62,000 since 2008 and presented a check to MDA at the local MDA telethon in September. We want to thank all of you for your generous support.

This event includes a silent auction along with food and the wine tasting.  Your involvement, in any way will make a tremendous difference in the lives of those affected by FA. The donations for this event will go directly to MDA’s Seek-A-Miracle which funds research for FA.  There are several ways you can help.  First, we would love to have you attend the event in April.  Save the Date Postcards will be mailed in November with Invitations to the event to follow with the opportunity to purchase individual tickets ($65) at that time.  Secondly, we are also looking for help securing silent auction items.  If you know of anyone who would be interested or might like to receive an invitation, please contact us. 

We are very excited about our third event and look forward to seeing you there. Please call us if you have any questions or if you can suggest others who might be interested in attending or making a donation. You can call us at 770-399-6710 or email at dzilles@earthlink.net.

We thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,

Linda and Dave Zilles