This week it became official: Ping-Pong Parkinson, which meets weekly at the Westchester Table Tennis Center (WTTC) in Pleasantville, NY, is now a 501(c)(3) organization – i.e., a public charity. And we have the first donation of $1000 to prove it! Thank you, UA3 (United Asian American Alliance)!
We held an event this Wednesday night (May 16, 2018) at the WTTC, with invited guests from the Parkinson’s support group at Northern Westchester Hospital, and a slew of speakers: our own Nenad Bach, Art Dubow, and Margie Alley; plus Nina Preizler and John Wieland from Rock Steady Boxing in Mt. Kisco; and Veronica Cea from the Northern Westchester Hospital Speech Rehabilitation Services.
The picture above shows the Board of Directors for Ping-Pong Parkinson. From left to right: Margie Alley; Fred Ellman; Irene Silbert (who organized the entire evening – a big Thank You, Irene!); Will Shortz (who owns the WTTC); Art Dubow; Nenad Bach; et moi.
Art and Nenad opened the evening; they are the brains and the powerhouses behind Ping-Pong Parkinson!
Margie Alley, one of the “pongers” (persons with PD who are in the ping-pong group) introduced Nina Preizler and John Wieland from Rock Steady Boxing in Mt. Kisco. Margie works out there in addition to playing ping-pong!
Nina and John spoke at length about the variety of programs they offer people with PD at their gym.
The audience received lots of information!
Veronica Cea from the Northern Westchester Hospital Speech Rehabilitation Services spoke about the hospital’s special program that helps Parkies improve their speech – and how they swallow. Click Northern Westchester Hospital Speech Rehabilitation Services for more info!
Art spoke about John Pepper, a South African man who’s had PD for decades – and cured himself of many of his symptoms via a walking program he developed on his own. To read more about John Pepper, click here!
After so much talk, we were ready to eat pizza and…play ping-pong!
We hope to show that playing ping-pong can alleviate the progression, and some of the symptoms, of Parkinson’s disease. We meet Wednesday nights from 7:30 – 8:30. For directions, click here.
