Dinner, auction to raise funds for ALS

LAKEWOOD - The Lakewood Blue- Claws will host its eighth annual ALS Celebrity Waiter and Auction Event on May 21. This is the first time the event will take place at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood.

All proceeds will benefit the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey, the official charity of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The BlueClaws are the Phillies' Single A minor league affiliate.

After the BlueClaws' 11:05 a.m. game on May 21, the players and coaches will return to the ballpark to work as fans enjoy a buffet-style dinner. Entrees will include prime rib, grilled salmon, chicken francaise and penne with vodka sauce. A children's menu will also be available. Dinner will be followed with a Viennese dessert table. A full-service cash bar will also be available.

Children will be allowed to play catch on the field with a BlueClaws player for an additional donation. Numerous Blue- Claws game-used items, autographed team and individual memorabilia will be up for bid during a silent auction, and members of the BlueClaws will be available to sign autographs. Lakewood's mascot, Buster, will also be in attendance.

The cost of the dinner is $25 per person, with tips not included. Sponsor tables of eight people are available for $250. Each sponsor will get his or her name on the table as well as on the centerfield scoreboard during the dinner.

Proceeds, including 100 percent of the tips revenue, will go to the ALS Association. In the past seven years this fundraiser has totaled more than $60,000, according to a press release.

Advance reservations are required, since seating availability is limited. Individuals or groups interested in making reservations for the event can call (732) 901-7000, ext. 192.

ALS, a progressive, motorneuron disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, usually strikes men and women between the ages of 30 and 75. Once thought to be rare, ALS occurs nearly as often as multiple sclerosis. Every 90 minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with ALS, for which the cause and cure are unknown.