Why AIM?
The idea of a benefit 3D archery tournament was one that Alex Daniel, and his cousin, Garrett had pondered for years. The idea of giving back was first and foremost but with no venue and no targets, holding such an event was going to prove difficult.
Steven's sister, Sandra Robbins (founder of "Steven's Stompers - (A walking team formed after Steven was diagnosed on April 30, 2012) ), and Alex's aunt, had expressed disappointment when the "Walk to Defeat ALS" that Steven's Stompers had planned to participate in was cancelled due to a scheduling and venue change. A conversation between Alex and Sandra led to the organization of the "Bladen County Aim For A Cure" 3D archery event for a fundraiser and awareness day.
Mr Ronald, of Allen Brothers Outdoors, graciously offered up their facilities for our venue, but we still needed targets...
Another "God wink" conversation led to Alex learning about, and calling Mr Jimmy Gould, owner of Deermans' THE 3D in Oklahoma. As it turned out, Jimmy and his son, Colton were available THAT weekend and agreed to deliver targets to North Carolina!
More info about the ALS Association - North Carolina Chapter:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease is a horrible debilitating disease that slowly robs a patient (pALS) of their life. The average life span with an ALS diagnosis is three to five years. During that time, the muscles atrophy and waste away, but the mind is unaffected. The cause of ALS is still unknown, the medical expenses are astronomical, and there is no cure! Imagine being trapped in your own body, depending solely on others entirely, unable to even swat a gnat out of your eyes, or call out for assistance, all while being completely aware of everything. We desperately need a cure, and our pALS need help to get the proper equipment and care!
The ALS Association works hard to raise awareness and to get the pALS the help they need. The majority of funds donated in North Carolina stay here to help NC’s six clinics and assist with patient needs, while a portion of donations goes to national research. New advancements are coming from the money contributed through events such as Bladen Aim For A Cure, and we are excited to see the impact on the lives of our pALS!