PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21, 2014 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione visited Wissinoming Park today to continue her picnic series with constituents, hand out free backpacks and school supplies to children, and experience the chilly pour of a bucket of ice to benefit the ALS Foundation.

“It’s good to be back at Wissinoming Park,” Tartaglione said. “New friendships sparked today; children received some great, free school supplies that were donated by the community and local businesses; and we all enjoyed some good food.

“Doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a chilling surprise, but it was an exhilarating experience – one I will never forget – and I’m glad to be a part of a national movement to help end a dastardly disease,” she said as she challenged Sens. Mike Stack, Vince Hughes and Anthony Hardy Williams to step up to the ALS plate.

Since its impromptu start last month, the Ice Bucket Challenge has generated about $42 million, according to the ALS Foundation. Compared to fundraising efforts during the same time in 2013, that’s 20 times more money raised.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. And, when the motor neurons die, the brain loses its ability to initiate and control muscle movement. Patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Today’s picnic at Wissinoming Park was the third district-wide event organized by Sen. Tartaglione. She picnicked with families and constituents at Burholme Park last week and Norris Square Park on Aug. 7.

The school supplies handed out to children were donated and collected from businesses and residents during Sen. Tartaglione’s recent “Stuff the Bus” event.

“My sincerest thank you to the businesses and individuals who helped to make these community picnics happen,” the senator said. “We do this because it’s important to know who we are as a neighborhood. We share common interests and we want our children to learn and succeed.

“We also want to send ALS to the annals of medicinal history, and we hope our Ice Bucket Challenge moved us closer to that, too,” she said.

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Editor’s Note: The following businesses contributed to Sen. Tartaglione’s picnic:

Always Best Care Senior Services

Aramingo Soprite

Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Concilio

Esperanza

Forman Mills

Health Partners

Impacto Latino

JL Entertainment LLC

Kensington EPIC Stakeholders

Keystone First

La Fortaleza

Mayfair Shop N Bag

MIMIC

Nazareth Hospital

PECO Solutions

PGW

Philadelphia Federal Credit Union

Philadelphia 2nd Police District

Philadelphia 15th Police District

Philadelphia Police 26th District

Philadelphia Pharmacy

West Kensington Ministries