My Story

My name is James Lacerenza. I am currently a junior at the University of Connecticut, and I have cerebral palsy.

I have been a volunteer for the Westchester County, NY / Fairfield County, CT chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) since 1999. Since then, I have become a district supervisor for the organization, volunteering annually at my local Jerry Lewis Telethon pledge center, answering phones every Labor Day Weekend, and organizing the Shamrocks Against Dystrophy campaign in my area that has led to this fund being established, among other responsibilities.

So how did the Shamrock campaign start? In January of 2005, I approached Stamford High School teacher David Bingham, and asked him if the school’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapter could sell shamrock mobiles during the months of February and March, with all the proceeds going towards sending children to MDA Summer Camp. Since DECA is a national youth civic partner of MDA, I figured it would be a natural fit, and a way for the school community to give back to those less fortunate. Mr. Bingham directed me to Howard Levy, the school’s DECA chapter advisor, and together, we agreed this was something worthwhile.

During morning announcements that winter, I made pleas to the student body, asking them to purchase $1 green or $5 gold shamrocks at DECA’s school store, with all of the proceeds going directly to summer camp. It was a resounding success. We raised $2,601 that first year, sending four children to camp.

Hi - I'm James Lacerenza,
the founder of the MDA ConnectiKids
Summer Camp Fund, and MDA volunteer.

The Stamford, CT pledge center
volunteers with the campers on VIP Day 2007

In 2007, I was determined to really step it up a notch, by reaching out to corporate partners in the community. I was met with much rejection, but am forever grateful to XEROX and the other local businesses who came aboard. We raised a record amount of $11,552—sending 17 kids to camp

For the past two years, I've been privileged enough to be invited to the camp site in Spring Valley, NY  What I saw there moved me to tears. Children who were literally dying...were living. And smiling. And not complaining that they had an incurable disease. The stories I was told—from the girl who was unable to participate but was subsequently cheered up by the girls in her dorm, to the ability for campers to swim in a zero gravity pool with their wheelchairs, to a girl who, though weak, was able to get out of her power chair and perform the simple act of honking the horn of a Corvette on display from a local car dealership...I knew then that I had to send every child to camp in 2008, and beyond, until a cure was found.

In 2008, we nearly tripled the amount of money raised to another record - $30,110 and 37 kids sent - and for the first time, I appeared both locally and nationally on the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon, singing along with Tony Orlando and speaking to my idol, Jerry Lewis, in Hour 4 of the show.

In 2009, we faced some tough challenges - the economy soured and for the first time in MDA's history, the summer camp program was shut down due to the H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak at 3 of MDA's campsites nationwide. It was a tough decision for MDA, but risking the fragile respiratory systems of those MDA serves was a risk we couldn't afford to take. Therefore, camp did not happen in 2009. However, we kept fund-raising because we knew that camp would return bigger and better than ever in 2010. And it WILL return.

Through a radiothon, shamrock and balloon mobile sales, employee collections and private contributions, we were able to present a check worth $16,056 on the 2009 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. That has already "paid" for 20 kids to attend the 2010 camp session. From 2005 to date, we have raised over $60,000 - not one dime of which has been seen by MDA's employees or myself. It's all because of caring people like you who have felt my passion for helping "Jerry's Kids" that we have been able to raise that money. I sincerely thank you. However, the fight is still going on.

Over the next 11 months, I intend on getting the other 50 kids to camp. I've "adopted" them as my own children. I can't do it without your support. Every day of my life, I am blessed to wake up, and my first thought is, "how am I going to help 'my kids' today. Every night ends with, "how am I going to help them tomorrow". I see my job as stressful, but rewarding. However, it pales in comparison to the job of the mother and father of a child with this disease. Yes, it can be stressful and rewarding for them too, but I can only imagine their heartache and exhaustion, which is only exceeded by their brave sons and daughters who are losing muscle power, but not their hopes and dreams. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have healthy children, or know friends who do. Count your blessings and please help me, and everyone involved, make sure that we help those whose children are not as fortunate. Look at it this way: when you give, you are helping someone else and yourself in that you are taking a step in preventing you and those you love from becoming one of our "kids".

Please help now - the children are counting on you. Thank you and God bless you.

Sincerely,

James

IF YOU ARE A SCHOOL OR LOCAL CIVIC ORGANIZATION,
OR A BUSINESS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE SHAMROCK PROGRAM, MY MAIN FUNDRAISER,
IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2010,
PLEASE CLICK ON THE CONTACT US BUTTON.

Let’s make a miracle happen. Let’s change lives. Together.

Thank you!