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Please join Mayor Rob Burton and Oakville Council for the presentation of the Mayor's fourth Annual Town Status Report. Monday, September 20 at 7 p.m. Town Hall, Council Chamber, 1225 Trafalgar Road Mayor's Annual Town Status Report Everyone welcome! Septembe r 18, 7 a.m - 11 p.m. and Septe mber 19, 1-11 p.m. at 3070 N eyagawa Boulevard yor Sixteen M ile Sports Co mplex Free Oakville Skate Show with Kurt Brownin g Public s kating all weekend including live bands and a Mu ch Music Video ska te Hockey clinics and demos hosted by Minor Oaks Hockey Association and the Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey Associatio n Speed skating clinics demo hosted by Oakville Speed Skating Clu b Skate with the Oakville Blades Athletes and celebrity autograph signing s Oakville Skating Club free lesson s Shopsy' s BBQ spo nsored by Puckz Pub Entertainment, give-aways and much more ! NHL Al umni Ga me Sunday, September 19 at 3 p.m., $1 0 Tickets on sale now at comm unity cent res and are nas Oakville Blades Home-opener game September 18. For details visit www.oakvilleblades.com . Join us for the Grand Opening Celebration s of the Visit www.oakville.ca/sixteenmile.htm for additional event details . Vision To be the most livable town in Canada w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, Se pt em be r 8 , 2 01 0 8 Oakville resident Tim Robertson may not be able to swing a golf club in this years Tee Off 4 ALS at Indian Wells Golf Course (5377 Walkers Line) on Sept. 21, but he will be there to support it as he always has since he was diagnosed with ALS. Robertson was diagnosed with amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or also commonly known as Lou Gehrigs disease) in 2004 and consid- ers himself lucky that he can still par- ticipate in this event, to raise aware- ness and funds for a costly disease, when many of those he knew with ALS have already passed away. Unless you know someone who has or had ALS then most do not real- ize the devastating impact ALS has on families and patients, said Robertson. I was no different. I knew who Lou Gehrig was and that he died at the height of his career, but I didnt know a whole lot more I just knew I didnt want what he had. ALS is not a long-term disease. There are not many people living in the com- munity with ALS. ALS impacts families emotionally, physically and financially; most patients (80 per cent) die within two to five years. Two to three Canadians die a day from this paralyzing disease that leaves those affected immobile, unable to speak and eventually unable to breathe. Most in the community are not aware of ALS. I think that is partly due to the fact that most patients die with- in five years of diagnosis, many a lot quicker. There are not a lot of people living with the disease and once the patient passes away, the family moves on, getting on with their lives which were probably put on hold while caring for their loved one. Ninety per cent of caregiving is shouldered by family, usually a spouse, child or parent. ALS leaves those affected unable to move, speak and eventually breathe. Caregivers are often forced to quit their jobs, leaving the family with no income. Some families lose their homes and are forced into bankrupt- cy. Forty per cent of ALS Ontario clients live below the poverty line. Thats why ALS Ontario helps those living with ALS with equipment and other support programs. In addition to raising awareness, these events also raise much needed funds, added Robertson. The funds raised are used for equipment for patients and research. ALS is an expensive disease to fight and the equipment is important to those who may not be able to afford all the equipment needed to make daily liv- ing easier. For example, my electric wheelchair cost $22,500 and 75 per cent was funded by the Assisted Devices Program. I currently have a power chair and a tilting shower chair thanks to ALS Ontario. Research is important because there is no known cause and no cure. We need to under- stand why Im able to participate in the Tee Off 4 ALS six years after diag- nosis while Ive known others who passed away within months. Robertson also speaks at Tee Off 4 ALS; this year he will be joined by Jack Armstrong, Toronto Raptors announcer and the FAN sportscaster, as master of ceremonies. Robertsons wife, sons, father, brothers and brother-in-law all partic- ipated in Tee Off 4 ALS the past two years. Robertson participated in the Hamilton Walk for ALS, the primary source of income for ALS Ontario, before his daughter, Lindsay, started organizing the Halton Walk for ALS in 2006, along with another teenager who lost her father to ALS. For more information, visit http://www.alsont.ca/events/teeoff4als / or contact Jeannette at 1-866-611- 8545, ext. 220 or jeannette@alsont.ca. T off 4 ALS takes a swing at a paralyzing disease Tim Robertson