Bob from Dane writes: Just confirmed 3 more people to work with me at the JERRY LEWIS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY LABOR DAY TELETHON, Sunday night, September 3rd, 7:30 to midnight. One great person is coming from San Diego to help out. Here is a list thus far, Mara Epstein, Elizabeth Vargas, myself, Marty O’Malley, Anthony Pucillo, Tony Teresi, Tiffany Bell, Michele Freridge, Dimitri Cosmos, Jonathan Rae, Sue George, Robyn Castello, Dave Tobey, Victoria Dunn, Krea Sedar, Joanne Cachapero, and Ken Trevias.

I thank them all for their time and effort, and know they will receive a great deal of inner satisfaction when they see the good they

Are doing for others. I still have a few slots open, but I will call in final tally this Friday, august 18th. I welcome any other folks that care to donate a Sunday nite to help out. Stay well, bob

Bob adds: Gene, yesterday I spoke to you, and told you something that was the most difficult thing to confide in to anyone, as it strikes very close to home. You and I are the only 2 people to know this, and I feel it should remain that way. However, I thought all last nite about this, and I have come to the conclusion, due to your credibility that we can talk about this without mentioning the name of the person, so perhaps people will understand what can happen and since I am so close, I feel this information if presented the way you do will be beneficial to people in understanding the devastation of neuro-muscular disease.

So here goes my story, you can do with it as you may, and give it some credibility, as you know this person as well. I will never mention the name, but by hopefully saying you know this party as well, I might be able to get my point across, without people thinking I am making a dramatic plea, based on a false statement of fact.

Here goes, I have known this person for many years. He is in his fifties, known by many in this industry, and has ALS, [Lou Gehrig’s Disease] a form of MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY. This is not a surprise to me, as I have seen this degeneration of the muscles over the years and had expected this to be the case, even though I prayed it was not. I found this out as I was mentioning the upcoming telethon, and was told this news by this party. I promised not to mention the name, as it would cause some problems in his work. I know the family is aware of it.

This is reaaly the first time since I was a kid that this has happened to someone close to me. I was not going to say anything as I felt you would not believe me, and feel I was trying to solicit donations and sympathy from you. This is not the case. If you were going to donate, it would have been done by now. I am not going to ask for anything anymore. Not now. This note is strictly for myself to impart information, nothing else. Gene and I will not say who this person is so do not ask. In time, you will all know.

Unfortunately, in time. I just want to say one thing again, hopefully for the final time. This killer knows no age, color, anything.

You can be in the prime of life, and it can strike without warning. It can strike a baby, a pre-teen, teenager, young adult, adult,

Or senior citizen. I will not be dramatic and I owe people I work for at my job, and MDA a professional attitude in dealing with this.

But it is hard, so hard. I have a genuine respect for this person. he has no monetary problems, has a great family, kids, grandkids, all the things we all hope to have at that age. I close this note with a prayer that GOD will grant this person many years of quality life, and respectfully end this, bob, dane productions./.