(Photo provided)
(Photo provided)
Ocean County College’s Grunin Center for the Performing Arts will host a “MD Keep the Faith” fundraiser on Saturday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m.
MD Keep the Faith is a New Jersey nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy. They provide critical financial assistance to cover medical expenses, purchase necessary equipment, and cover other related costs, ensuring these families receive the support they need during difficult times.
MD is no longer in the public eye as much as it was between 1966 and 2010, when Jerry Lewis hosted an annual fundraising gala for the MDA on Labor Day weekend, raising $2.45 billion for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
However, MD remains a devastating disease. In fact, about 30 disorders are classified as muscular dystrophies; Duchenne is the most common, accounting for about 50% of cases. It is almost exclusively a male disease, affecting about six in 100,000 boys and usually presenting at about age 4, while in girls it affects only about one in 50 million births.
The first sign is general motor problems, especially with walking. Affected individuals almost always lose the ability to walk in their early teens, and most men are paralyzed from the neck down by the age of 21. The average life expectancy is 28 to 30 years.
There is no cure.
Lewis was, of course, a comedian, so it’s no surprise that the Grunin Center fundraiser will feature two comedians: Jeff Norris and John “Gemini” Lombardi.
Norris, a veteran comedian who often performs in Atlantic City and Vegas, as well as on cruise ships, is married to another comedian, Renee DeLorenzo. Norris likes to say he’s in an interracial marriage – “I’m Irish, she’s Italian.” If you like Italian jokes, he’s the comedian for you.
Norris, by the way, is no newbie to charity. He has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for K9s for Warriors, an organization that pairs service dogs with veterans suffering from PTSD.
Gemini is not only a stand-up comedian, but also a magician and ventriloquist.
Norris and Gemini will be accompanied by the band The Deplorables. And the show’s promotional brochure states: “And that’s not all – get ready for guest appearances that will enhance the experience.”
Tickets are $54 and can be purchased online at grunincenter.org. —RM
