\ Press Releases \ Bono Pro Bono
Radio Station 610 CHTM (Arctic Radio) in Thompson, Manitoba has created two radio PSAs for the ALS Society of Canada.
Donna Wilson, promotions director of Arctic Radio and the co-ordinator of the Thompson WALK offered to record the PSAs at the radio station at no charge to ALS Canada. Wilson is thrilled that U2 and Universal Music, their publisher, have granted the station permission to use “Walk On.”
The song, written by U2 and sung by lead singer and songwriter, Bono (Paul David Hewson) won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 2002.
The city of Thompson, located 739 kilometres north of Winnipeg, with a population of approximately 15,000, has raised an extraordinary amount of money through the ALS walk for a community of its size. The first walk raised $20,000. Last year, slightly less than $20,000 was raised, and this year the goal is to increase the amount. Wilson is looking forward to this year's walk which will be held on September 16 in Thompson and is most appreciative of committee member Wally Itson’s help for the upcoming walk.
Wilson and the Thompson community are motivated in their commitment to the ALS cause by the memory of Ron Krahenbil, who died of ALS in 2002. Krahenbil, a popular on-air announcer at the radio station for 30 years, developed bulbar ALS and his voice was the first thing to go. Wilson says, “Ron was much loved in his community, and the station wants to do what they can in his memory.”
The four members of U2, Larry Mullen, Adam Clayton, The Edge (David Howell Evans) and Bono, started their band in 1976 as high school students in Dublin and went on to become one of the most popular bands of the eighties. Their popularity has never waned, and in 2006 they won five Grammy awards, for a career total of 20. Sometimes described as the “world's greatest rock band,” U2 are also well-known as socially conscious activists on behalf of aid to Africa.
The 10 provincial ALS Societies will be asking radio stations across the country to air the “Walk On” PSAs from April to September to promote local WALK for ALS events.
ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the degeneration of a select group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Ninety per cent of those who get ALS will die within two to five years. Up to 10 per cent can live 10 years or more. ALS is not considered a rare disease. Approximately 3,000 Canadians currently live with ALS. And, two to three Canadians die of ALS each day.
Founded in 1977 as a national voluntary organization, the ALS Society of Canada funds research towards a cure for ALS, supports provincial ALS Societies in their provision of quality care for persons living with ALS and provides information to build awareness about the disease. Additional information about the ALS Society of Canada is available at www.als.ca.
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Bono Pro Bono
The ALS Society of Canada has secured the rights for six months to use the U2 song “Walk On” free-of-charge for our public service announcements (PSAs) to promote the WALK for ALS fundraiser.Radio Station 610 CHTM (Arctic Radio) in Thompson, Manitoba has created two radio PSAs for the ALS Society of Canada.
Donna Wilson, promotions director of Arctic Radio and the co-ordinator of the Thompson WALK offered to record the PSAs at the radio station at no charge to ALS Canada. Wilson is thrilled that U2 and Universal Music, their publisher, have granted the station permission to use “Walk On.”
The song, written by U2 and sung by lead singer and songwriter, Bono (Paul David Hewson) won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 2002.
The city of Thompson, located 739 kilometres north of Winnipeg, with a population of approximately 15,000, has raised an extraordinary amount of money through the ALS walk for a community of its size. The first walk raised $20,000. Last year, slightly less than $20,000 was raised, and this year the goal is to increase the amount. Wilson is looking forward to this year's walk which will be held on September 16 in Thompson and is most appreciative of committee member Wally Itson’s help for the upcoming walk.
Wilson and the Thompson community are motivated in their commitment to the ALS cause by the memory of Ron Krahenbil, who died of ALS in 2002. Krahenbil, a popular on-air announcer at the radio station for 30 years, developed bulbar ALS and his voice was the first thing to go. Wilson says, “Ron was much loved in his community, and the station wants to do what they can in his memory.”
The four members of U2, Larry Mullen, Adam Clayton, The Edge (David Howell Evans) and Bono, started their band in 1976 as high school students in Dublin and went on to become one of the most popular bands of the eighties. Their popularity has never waned, and in 2006 they won five Grammy awards, for a career total of 20. Sometimes described as the “world's greatest rock band,” U2 are also well-known as socially conscious activists on behalf of aid to Africa.
The 10 provincial ALS Societies will be asking radio stations across the country to air the “Walk On” PSAs from April to September to promote local WALK for ALS events.
ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the degeneration of a select group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Ninety per cent of those who get ALS will die within two to five years. Up to 10 per cent can live 10 years or more. ALS is not considered a rare disease. Approximately 3,000 Canadians currently live with ALS. And, two to three Canadians die of ALS each day.
Founded in 1977 as a national voluntary organization, the ALS Society of Canada funds research towards a cure for ALS, supports provincial ALS Societies in their provision of quality care for persons living with ALS and provides information to build awareness about the disease. Additional information about the ALS Society of Canada is available at www.als.ca.
| Posted On: Thursday, April 27, 2006 Modified: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 Category: Press Releases Posted By: |