On March 1, Emporia State fraternity Phi Delta Theta hosted the Love Like Lou Gala at the Bowyer Building to raise funds for ALS research. The fraternity has hosted the event since 2023, and the event continues to draw donations from community members.
According to fraternity philanthropy chair Gavin Yakel, Phi Delta Theta’s goal was to raise at least $5,000. Between the money collected at the event and donations that lasted through that Saturday, the event raised $5,454.93, exceeding the previous year’s dollar amount by $3,201.93. All of the funds raised are contributed to the Live Like Lou Foundation, an organization that supports ALS medical research and awareness in the name of Lou Gehrig, the Yankees first baseman that eventually died of the disease.
The event itself included musical performances from the Phi Delta Theta Jazz Band and a catered meal from Gourmet-to-Go. The event also featured a speaker, Emporian Kelli Johnsen, a former veterinary technician who discussed her experiences with ALS since her diagnosis in 2008.
Attendants were encouraged to browse a silent auction, where various local businesses contributed the items sold. According to Yakel, the fraternity members collected donations from around town, including vouchers for Maud’s Tattoo Company and Brown’s Shoe Fit Company.
“Everybody said that they thought the event went really well,” Yakel said. “For the most part, the community was really supportive.”
Yakel already has some ideas for potential changes to the event. He is considering an expanded use of flyers, news outlets and social media to spread the word about the event and its cause. He also plans to seek out more sponsorships from local businesses to bolster the event.
Yakel describes the importance of investment in ALS medical research.
“I think, personally, that raising the money for ALS and for the Live Like Lou Foundation is extremely beneficial,” said Yakel. “It could literally be like, you’re fine one day, the next day, you are now diagnosed with it. And so I feel like getting the funds and the money for the research out there, it will greatly benefit any community really just trying to, you know, get the word out there to spread awareness.”
Studies cited by the Center for Disease Control indicate that over 30,000 people suffer from ALS in the United States. The disease decreases the function of nerve cells and the body’s ability to trigger certain muscles, causing paralysis and eventual death. Most people live between two and five years after symptoms develop. There is no cure, and the cause is still unknown, with most cases occurring without any family history of ALS.
