LIVERMORE – On Sept. 14, for the second year in a row, Boothby’s Orchard and Farm will partner with the Brochu Family of Jay and the A-T Children’s Project to raise money for this rare children’s disease. All money raised goes directly to the A-T Children’s Project in their effort to find a cure.
Ataxia-telangiectasia, or A-T, is a rare genetic disease that attacks children, causing progressive loss of muscle control, immune system problems, and a high rate of cancer. Due to the fundraising efforts of the Brochu family and families like them all over the US, research has been ongoing and this year, one child with A-T will begin gene therapy. Ten years ago, a cure was only a dream and seemed so very far away; today, a cure may be just around the corner. Over the years, since their children have been diagnosed, Chris and Lisa Brochu along with a posse of family and friends and local support, have raised over $350,000. Funding the research also contributes to the body of research supporting treatments for other rare as well as more common diseases.
This year the event will begin at 4 p.m. with a Memphis-style pulled pork BBQ and fried chicken with all the fixings and apple crisp for dessert accompanied by the musical stylings of Jan and Tom Gill. There will be a bounce house and more for kids as well as raffles for adults. Under the tent, at 6 p.m., there will be a live auction featuring beautiful donations of all kinds, from locally crafted items to firewood to farm animals. From 7 p.m. – 11 p.m., there will be a Barn Dance featuring country rock music by “Road Salt.”
For early bird tickets or corporate sponsorship please contact atcp.org/Barn-Dance. For more information or to donate items to the auction, please contact Denise Boothby at boothbysorchard@gmail.com or Lisa Brochu at lbrochu@myfairpoint.net.
Organizers thank this year’s sponsors.
PLATINUM: Jeff Beard, Gary and Sue Copeland, Jeanne’s Kids, North Shore Behavioral Health, Verso Corporation, Walmart Distribution Center #7014, Walmart Heart. GOLD: Berry Fruit Farm, Boothby Silver, LLC., Hallow Way Photography, Neidner’s Floor Finishing, Sanders & Hanstein, PA, The Only Hope. SILVER: 7814 Walmart Transportation, Ladies Auxillary Amvets Post 33, Jay Maine, Calzolaoi Pasta Company, Carrabassett Spring Water, DND Maintenance, Franklin Savings Bank, Gritty McDuff’s, Guild’s Country Hardware, Harris Hill Products, Hight Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, Hillside Sports Club, Richard and Jeanne Jackson, Jason Gibbs & Holly Richards, Johnny Castonguay Logging & Trucking, Kachnovich Land Surveying, Inc., MS Walker Wine & Liquor Distributors, Otis Federal Credit Union, Reenergy Biomass Operations LLC, Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, Linda Tremblay, True Educator Insurance, Horace Mann. We couldn’t do it without you!
The A-T Children’s Project is a nonprofit organization formed to raise funds to support and coordinate first-rate biomedical research projects, scientific conferences and a clinical center aimed at finding a cure or life-improving therapies for ataxia-telangiectasia. To learn more about the A-T Children’s Project, visit www.atcp.org.
A-T is a progressive, degenerative disease that affects a startling variety of body systems. Children with A-T appear normal at birth, but the early signs of the disease usually appear during the second year of life. A-T causes the relentless loss of muscle control, usually making children dependent on wheelchairs by age 10 and making it difficult for them to read, speak and eat. Children with A-T also have a strikingly high risk of cancer. Although considered a rare “orphan” disease, A-T may actually be much more common than we know, since many children with A-T, particularly those who die at a young age, are never properly diagnosed. There currently is no cure for A-T and no way to slow the progression of the disease. Research on A-T may help many more common diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. To learn more about A-T, visit www.atcp.org.
Thank you for another information and accurate article. We appreciate Daily Bulldog’s support over the years as well!