My name is James Lacerenza. I am currently a junior at the University of Connecticut, and I have cerebral palsy.
I have been a volunteer for the Westchester County, NY / Fairfield County, CT chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) since 1999. Since then, I have become a district supervisor for the organization, volunteering annually at my local Jerry Lewis Telethon pledge center, answering phones every Labor Day Weekend, and organizing the Shamrocks Against Dystrophy campaign in my area that has led to this fund being established, among other responsibilities.
So how did the Shamrock campaign start? In January of 2005, I approached Stamford High School teacher David Bingham, and asked him if the school’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapter could sell shamrock mobiles during the months of February and March, with all the proceeds going towards sending children to MDA Summer Camp. Since DECA is a national youth civic partner of MDA, I figured it would be a natural fit, and a way for the school community to give back to those less fortunate. Mr. Bingham directed me to Howard Levy, the school’s DECA chapter advisor, and together, we agreed this was something worthwhile.
During morning announcements that winter, I made pleas to the student body, asking them to purchase $1 green or $5 gold shamrocks at DECA’s school store, with all of the proceeds going directly to summer camp. It was a resounding success. We raised $2,601 that first year, sending four children to camp.
For more info please log on to: http://www.mdactkids.org
(photo) I'm James Lacerenza,
the founder of the MDA ConnectiKids
Summer Camp Fund, and MDA volunteer.
