Bring pennies to kickoff

On Wednesday, April 25, football great Phil Villapiano, the Gala committee and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will kick off the 12th annual Field of Hope Gala to strike out amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. A cocktail reception will be held at Commerce Bank on Shrewsbury Avenue in Shrewsbury from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

According to Villapiano of Rumson, honorary chairman of the event for the past 12 years and a vice president of the MDA, the 2007 gala will also take place Sept. 29 at the South Gate Manor in Freehold.

The kickoff cocktail reception is free, but people are asked to bring loose change to drop in the penny arcade at Commerce Bank with all proceeds donated to ALS research.

Anyone interested in corporate sponsorship, auction items, ticket purchases or ad journal reservations is asked to join the team at Commerce Bank April 25 or contact Jennifer Acampora, district director of the Monmouth-Ocean MDA office, at (732) 936-9940 for more information.