CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
At the corner of South Graves and James Avenue here Nov. 17, more than 800 members of Team Charleston gathered during Wingman Day for the first Run the Runway 5K event, held in honor of retired Brig. Gen. Thomas Mikolajcik.
General Mikolajcik commanded the 437th Airlift Wing from July 1991 until June 1994 and was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in October 2003. Since his diagnosis, he has campaigned to increase aid for those stricken with the disease and to increase ALS awareness.
Commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, the disease affects the body through extreme muscular degeneration. The event supported General Mikolajcik's work to bring help to those impaired by ALS - a disease with no known cause or cure.
Run the Runway distinguished guests included General Mikolajcik's wife Carmen and two of his children, John and Julia. Representing Senator Jim DeMint, Regional Director Ashley Holbrook also spoke at the event. Additionally, representatives of the ALS Association's South Carolina Chapter were center stage.
Along with his wife and his daughter Christina Mikolajcik Robertson, General Mikolajcik was instrumental in establishing the ALSA's South Carolina Chapter, as well as South Carolina's first ALS clinic, located at the Medical University of South Carolina.
On behalf of the Charleston AFB Top 3 organization, a $1,000 donation was presented to the ALSA's South Carolina Chapter. The donation was funded by direct contributions from Team Charleston members through the purchase of custom designed T-shirts worn during the run.
The more than 800-person turnout was a sporting-event record for Charleston AFB, according to Fitness and Sports Center Director Steve Parrish.
Planned to be held annually, continued support during future years is the next goal, said Col. Joseph Mancy, 437th Operations Group commander.
"We'll do another one hopefully next November, and we'll just keep up the tradition," he said. "The goal is to raise awareness. We know that it's a debilitating disease, and we're here to support."
Colonel Mancy said keeping current ties with the ALSA's South Carolina Chapter will help sustain the program from year to year at Charleston AFB.
From the standpoint of the ALSA, South Carolina Chapter Executive Director Rebecca Jordan heralded the work of General Mikolajcik, noting his advocacy in Washington which helped lead the effort to improve benefits for all veterans with ALS.
Overall, military members are 60 percent more likely to have ALS than those who have never served, she said.
Sept. 23, 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs published regulations which granted all military veterans diagnosed with ALS full access to health and disability benefits regardless of where or when they served in the military.