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Raising Awareness of MS, Ronald McDonald House

March 2, 2016 by Lance Somerfeld

Somerfeld family on "Top of the Rock" for the Climb MS Event in New York City
Lance and his family on roof of 30 Rockefeller Center for the “Climb to the Top” multiple sclerosis fundraising event in New York City this past weekend. (Contributed photo)

We spent this past weekend at Rockefeller Center in New York City raising awareness and money for two wonderful organizations: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Ronald McDonald House.

Several years ago, my sister-in law was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). With no known cure, MS is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of signs and symptoms. Our family decided we wanted to raise awareness and money for the charity in honor of my sister-in-law. Consequently, we’ve walked together as a family over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge as part of the annual MS Walk. This year, we tried something completely different.

MS “Climb to the Top” challenges you to climb 66 flights of stairs (1,215 stairs) inside New York City’s famous 30 Rockefeller Center. With baby strapped in the carrier and the 7-year old fired up with excitement, our family made the “successful” ascent. (To be candid, I migrated over to the convenient elevator bank at the 21st floor rest stop, and was whisked up to the top to meet up with my family.) Overall, the views from the finish line at the “Top of the Rock” were breathtaking, we were so proud of our son for making the vertical climb on his own, and best of all, our team raised $1,350 for MS. Next year, our goal is to recruit a few more members of our team and hit $1,500 in fundraising.

Ronald McDonald House “Skate with the Greats”

New York Ranger Greats at Ronald McDonald House benefit in Rockefeller Center
Lance and his son skate with former New York Rangers hockey player at a Rockefeller Center benefit for Ronald McDonald House New York this past weekend. (Contributed photo)

On Friday night, our family joined the Ronald McDonald House New York at their annual “Skate With the Greats” fundraiser.  The Ronald McDonald House is located in our Manhattan neighborhood and they provide temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a caring environment at a nominal fee. Our son has participated in their annual Central Park “fun run,” but this time we had the opportunity to learn more about the generous work that they do and engage with families touched by the charity.

More than a dozen of the NHL’s legendary New York Rangers hosted the fundraiser that included an auction, VIP reception, photo and autograph signing opportunities, and a chance to skate together with them on the iconic ice rink at Rockefeller Center. Initially, the “Skate with the Greats” fundraiser brought tears to our eyes as we listened to a family share their powerful journey. Fortunately, the night ended sweetly when we laced up our skates and raced, slipped, and crashed across the ice with Rod Gilbert, Ron Duguay, Brian Mullen, Stephane Matteau, Jay Wells, Ed Hospodar and a host of other former Rangers. What a memorable evening!

Rod Gilbert at Skate with the Greats Ronald McDonald House benefit
Hall of Fame hockey player Rod Gilbert, left, at “Skate with the Greats” with the Somerfeld men. (Contribute photo)

Disclosure: The team at the Ronald McDonald House New York hosted our family at their annual fundraiser so we can learn more about their charity.  The opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

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Filed Under: events, NYC, outreach Tagged With: cancer

About Lance Somerfeld

Lance Somerfeld, co-founder of City Dads Group, lives with his wife and two children in New York City. He frequently contributes to the conversation about modern fatherhood, work-life balance, shifting gender roles, and brand’s marketing to dads. He has appeared on local and national television, including CNN, Today and Katie. He has been quoted by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, GQ, Parenting and The Atlantic.

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