By Bill Sullivan for Chicko Motorsports
PENNGROVE, CA (3-26-11) – Typically, Alissa Geving strives to get ahead of the pack and be the first to the finish line in every event in which she competes. However, on April 17th Geving will join thousands of individuals in Northern California for one united cause, to bring awareness and funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
On this upcoming Sunday morning in the spring, Geving will participate in the Walk MS 2011 in Santa Rosa. The event is a 5K route with a one mile option that begins at Howarth Park. Walk MS is the rallying point of the MS movement, a community coming together to raise funds and celebrate hope for the future. Everyone who participates in Walk MS moves the National Multiple Sclerosis Society one step closer to a world free of MS.
“Life isn’t always about competition and finishing first,” said Geving. “When it comes to a common cause it’s about everyone coming together as one show their support for a great cause. I hope more individuals from the racing community will join in the movement for this event or one near their home in the coming months.”
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
While the cause of MS is still not known, scientists believe that a combination of several factors may be involved. Studies are ongoing in the areas of immunology (the science of the body’s immune system), epidemiology (that looks at patterns of disease in the population), and genetics in an effort to answer this important question. Understanding what causes MS will be an important step toward finding more effective ways to treat it and—ultimately—cure it, or even prevent it from occurring in the first place.
It is dedicated individuals such as Geving that choose to raise awareness and funds that will contribute to the future research of MS for decades to come. In 2011 the WALK MS Northern California Chapter has a hope of raising $1,300,000.00. At this time they have raised $323,589.30 which is approximately 24 percent of their goal through community donations and pledges raised by participants in the upcoming MS WALK events throughout the state in the April and May.
Back in 2008, Alissa Geving became the youngest female sprint car titlist in the nation when she claimed her first of two consecutive titles at her home track of Petaluma Speedway at just 16 years of age. That same year she earned the Rookie of the Year Honor in the California Sprint Car Civil War Series. After claiming her early titles, Geving toured with the Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series in 2010 for the entire campaign and claimed the Rookie of the Year honors in the campaign.
In 2011, Geving will compete for championship titles aboard her family owned Chicko Motorsports Sprint Car once again, focusing on the All Pro Series at Petaluma Speedway and the traveling Civil War Series. While the 19-year-old over achiever will face many challenges in her quest to the finish line, no such challenge can be compared to those whom suffer from MS each and everyday of their lives.
“Many of us take for granted what we have when it comes to our health,” said Geving. “This cause is important to me and I am trying to raise as much as possible from the racing community to make a difference.”
Those wishing to show support for Geving and the upcoming Santa Rosa Walk to create a world free of MS can do so by donating to the cause in her name, also known as a pledge. To make a pledge to support Geving is simply a click away on her designated pledge site that has been set up through the National MS Society at the following link:
https://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/Donation2?idb=41711666&df_id=32565&32565.donation=form1&FR_ID=16484&PROXY_ID=9123511&PROXY_TYPE=20&JServSessionIdr004=50cp4wz353.app330b
Those wishing to contribute or participate can also access information through Geving’s website at www.chick-o-motorsports.com or the Chicko Motorsports fan page on facebook.
Geving is set to begin her 2011 racing season, weather permitting, on April 1 at the Petaluma Speedway season opener near her hometown. She will begin her run on the Civil War Series on April 9 when the series also opens in Petaluma for the first of 14 events.
This season Geving will carry the title sponsorship Tillett Tool of Santa Rosa along with the well known online superstore Pit Stop USA that is based in Petaluma. Napa’s Matt Cordeiro Enterprises will return as a lead sponsor as well as Auto Repairs Unlimited and A1A Performance of Santa Rosa. Associate sponsors include; K&N Filters, The Golden Gate Meat Company, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, R2C, Napa Auto Parts, Flowmaster Mufflers, Allstar Performance, Santa Rosa Auto Parts, Simpson Racing Products, 21st Century Health Club, , Pro Shocks, ALC Machine and JW Web Design.