Supporters of the first Ales over ALS local craft beer event and brewing competition raised glasses, awareness and dollars, $14,000 to be exact, at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum on Oct. 6 for the continued quest to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. and 400,000 people worldwide. Currently, there is no cure or effective treatment for the disease.
Essex resident Nathan Woodman, who organized the fundraiser in honor of his friend Mark Tessicini and others in the area battling the disease, said, “We wanted to raise money for and awareness of the fight to cure ALS. We also wanted to have fun while doing it. The event is a theme of craft beer, shipbuilding and the local farmer: all skills that are made locally and done with your hands. Mark is an architect. Because of this disease, it is a skill that he has lost. The event is a celebration of these things that ALS takes away.”
Alastair Hewitt of Wakefield won the beer brewing competition with his pilsner. As his prize, Haverhill Brewery will brew his winning entry. Proceeds from the sale of this one-time draft release will go to Cambridge-based ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), a nonprofit biotech focused solely on ALS research.
The event also featured food and drink provided courtesy of local restaurants, including Woodman’s of Essex, the Village Restaurant, Iggy’s Bread and Ipswich Ale Brewery.
Fundraising toward the event and ALS TDI is still open. To donate or to learn more about the event, visit http://community.als.net/alesoverals or call 617-441-7200.
History lover sought
The Essex Historical Commission is seeking interested candidates to fill a vacant seat. Anyone interested in the position may contact Richard Stevens at specwood@gmail.com to inquire about the seat.
Town Talk is written by Marjorie Nesin. If you have a news tip or an item for Town Talk, please contact her at 978-283-7000 x3451, or at mnesin@gloucestertimes.com.
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