Stroll ‘N Roll with Kessler Foundation at Verona Park for People with Disabilities
2014-09-15 14:12:04 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Sunday, September 21 at 9 am, Kessler Foundation will host its 13th Annual Stroll 'N Roll at Verona Park, sponsored in part by Gibbons PC. Funds raised support innovative rehabilitation research and employment initiatives to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Special guests include Steve Adubato, Ph.D., local politicians, live performers and individuals who have benefitted from the Foundation’s work.
“Each year, we are so pleased to see more people come out to Stroll ‘N Roll,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “It has developed into a wonderful family event, with some families represented by three generations dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the abilities of people with disabilities. Every dollar raised helps individuals whose lives have been altered by injury or disease take their first steps, navigate their surroundings, improve their memory, drive again, or earn a paycheck through finding employment. With this support, more people with disabilities enjoy independent, fulfilling lives.”
In addition to a stroll or roll around the lake at Verona Park, the event features carnival games, magic acts, balloon art, food from local vendors, live performances and music—provided by a DJ group from Pathways for Exceptional Children. Pathways, a career mentorship program for students with disabilities located in Montville, N.J., is a grantee of Kessler Foundation. Recording artists Los Ciegos Del Barrio, Herve Gaspard and children’s group Circle Time Live as well as the Bearfoot dancers will perform.
Stroll ‘N Roll ambassador Dan Mollino, who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2010 after falling from a telephone pole while at work, will show how far he has come on his journey to recovery. Exceeding expectations, Dan and his wife, Amber, will ride their bicycles from their home in Ringwood, N.J., to the starting line at Verona Park—a 25 mile ride. Mollino serves on Kessler Foundation’s TBI Advisory Board, helping to identify the issues that matter most to individuals with brain injury, and participates in the Foundation’s research studies.
Adaeze Duru, a 30 year old woman who had a stroke in May, will conduct a live demonstration of Ekso GT—a wearable, robotic, battery-powered exoskeleton that enables individuals in wheelchairs to stand and take steps. Kessler Foundation is one of the only facilities in the U.S. studying the effects of Ekso in the stroke population. Duru is now ready to walk down the aisle at her December wedding.
Guests of Stroll ‘N Roll can also visit exhibit booths from local businesses, sponsors, and disability service representatives.
For more information, online registration or to donate to Stroll ‘N Roll, visit www.kesslerfoundation.org/SNR. Registration is $25 for individuals and $50 for a family of up to five members. Participants can form teams and ask for donations. Stroll ‘N Roll begins at 9 a.m. and is expected to finish by 1p.m. Family dogs are welcome. Commemorative t-shirts are included in registration. Sweatshirts and bandanas will be available for purchase at the event.
Sponsors include The Cormac Group, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Liz and David Lowenstein, Wakefern Food Corporation/ShopRite, C. R. Bard Foundation, Inc., Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Colonial Consulting, M&T Bank, the Margetts Foundation, NK Architects and Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Schinman.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities.
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Contacts:
Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, [email protected]
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
