Columbia’s walk to defeat ALS raises about $45,000 Saturday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia residents Saturday raised nearly $45,000 in a fundraiser walk to end amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Some people got together in teams to raise large sums of money to donate, while others donated individually to the national ALS Association for research on the disease.

The one-mile walk at the Cosmo-Bethel Park attracted about 100 people.

Team Tiger raised $1,000 for a cause that hits close to home for member John Cleek Jr., whose dad died from ALS in 2022.

"My dad, one thing that he said, as far as anybody asked what bit of advice would you give to somebody that had ALS, he said, 'If you're able to, get out and do everything that you ever wanted to do in your life, you know, because one day you're not going be able to,'" Cleek said.

Cleek said he's raising money to find a cure.

"This is a dreadful disease that nobody asked for," Cleek said. "We've got to try to do our best to help the ALS Association and help the research efforts and stuff, so they can find a cure for this disease someday."

The total fundraising goal is $72,000.