By Tim Saunders on
On July 31, Leeza Gibbons will lead a group of volunteers to the top of Mount Washington to fight against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
The celebrity legend says: "This year, all of us here at Leeza's Place and the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation are involved in a very special project called The Army of Change. This project started with “the Regulars”, a group of regular people who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s and/or Parkinson’s disease. This group of regular people decided to climb 10 Mountains in 10 Years to bring awareness and raise funds for these two diseases.
“On July 31, 2010, the group, along with hundreds of regular people, will be climbing Mt. Washington in New Hampshire to raise money for four charities, including the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation & our signature program, Leeza’s Place. You can help support our Leeza’s Place locations and our communities of caregivers who will be making this climb in recognition and honor of all caregivers and their loved ones who climb their own personal mountain daily.”
Leeza is hoping to raise $25,000 through donations, and you can donate here.
“At Leeza’s Place, we are all about empowering people to navigate through the maze of chronic illness or disease,” says Leeza, who left her high profile television career in 2003 to form the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation – an endeavor she dedicated to her mother, who had recently been diagnosed with a debilitating memory disorder. "We make sure they have the education and energy for the difficult journey ahead. Our “Three E’s” education, empowerment and energy, fit beautifully with Enzo’s approach to 10 Mountains – 10 Years. I immediately lit up the first time I heard him speak about this grand vision and his collaborative approach to creating a world without Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
“I knew there must be something special about the energy around this group of mountain climbers called “The Regulars” when they seemed to illicit rock star status and make groupies of all those who meet them. I didn’t know I would shortly thereafter join the ranks of the devoted! Two of our Leeza’s Place guests and most passionate volunteers, Maggie Ownbey and Sue Ownbey-Menaker, first brought the idea to our Leeza’s Place community in Sherman Oaks California. These sisters were so enthusiastic and certain that Enzo and his visionary thinking, personal charisma and relentless dedication had an idea that was a perfect fit for us. They were so right!
“The symbolism of mountains is very familiar for the families we serve at Leeza’s Place. For a husband or wife, daughter, son or a loved one of someone who is sick, every day seems to be shadowed by a mountain of obstacles. There is a steep cliff of struggle and it sometimes seems impossible to reach the top. We are all finding a way to manage the mountain; to find a way around it, over it or through it.
“We welcome you to join our “Army of Change”!"
Find out more about the challenge here. You can also follow the climbers every step of the way on Facebook and Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Look to the Stars
