This year I will be attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT). This trail traverses 14 different states along the Eastern United States going from Georgia to Maine spanning 2,197.9 miles.
The reason I am hiking the AT is because of my dad, Layne Oliff. He instilled in me the love of nature. He was an avid trail runner, hiker, cyclist and an all-around lover of nature himself. He was diagnosed with PLS in 2017 and ALS in 2020. He passed in April of 2025. Watching him lose his motor function and go from someone who can run, jump, and climb to being in a wheelchair was incredibly difficult.
My dad and I spent time talking about life, nature and the Appalachian Trail. Hiking the AT was on his bucket list but one item he was never able to complete. I decided that if he couldn’t walk the AT, I would walk in honor of him. We had many conversations about this, and now I am attempting this thru-hike to honor his memory and as a fundraiser for ALS.
From diagnosis, my dad spent much of his time and energy advocating for those with ALS. This hike honors both his love of nature and his dedication to the ALS community. I have chosen to have donations go to Compassionate Care ALS. CCALS is a great organization that provides the much-needed support for those diagnosed with ALS and their families. This support includes equipment, support groups, and education. My parents received support from CCALS, and firmly supported and believed in the mission and the important work of CCALS.
Please consider supporting me, honoring my father, and supporting those with ALS by donating to this worthwhile cause. Follow my progress here and on Instagram @bmountains_23.
Total:
$6,785.63Contributors
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Ride For Hope
Help Us Hit ALS Out of the Ballpark
June 7 from 1-5pm
VFW
800 Main St
Great Barrington, MA 01230
June 7 from 1-5 PM
$20 per ticket
Each general admission ticket includes 20 raffle tickets
- Live Music by Colby Lewis and Steve Ide. colbylewismusic.com.
- Special comedy performance by Shaun Connolly.
- Food Trucks
- Cash Bar
- Silent Auction
How it started…
When I first joined CCALS in April 2020, one of the questions I often asked clients was whether they were Red Sox fans. Inevitably, they would say yes. Many shared how much they missed going to Fenway, especially given the risks of large crowds and illness during COVID-19.
In May 2022, everything changed when I had a stroke. I had to relearn how to walk and even how to put a sentence together. During my recovery, I spent a lot of time using my Peloton bike as part of my physical and occupational therapy. That’s when I set a goal for myself: on my 70th birthday, I would ride 70 miles and raise money to bring our clients to Fenway Park in a Pavilion Suite. That first year, I raised enough to secure two suites.
It was a total game changer for our clients. The joy on their faces said it all. During the first game, one of our clients, Nick Marchionda, rolled up to me in his wheelchair and said, “ for three and a half hours, I didn’t have ALS. I was at a friggin ball game!”.
The Red Sox organization has also been incredibly supportive and made the experience accessible. With nearby parking, easy entry through Gate B, and a short walk to the private Pavilion Suite, the staff and security have always been outstanding.
I continued the fundraiser for the next two years, riding my Peloton each time. But this year, due to issues with my left knee and hip, I’m not able to complete the 70-mile ride. Still, I wasn’t ready to step away from something that has meant so much. So, I came up with a new idea…
Please join us for Help Us Hit ALS Out of the Ballpark on June 7 from 1–5 PM. The afternoon will feature live music by Colby Lewis and Steve Ide, a special comedy performance by Shaun Connolly, food trucks, a cash bar, and a silent auction, all in support of sending ALS clients to Fenway!
Total
$2,180.56
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Buy Tickets
Road to Falmouth:
Team Mike for CCALS
June 18, 2026 | 6–10pm
Blue Hill Country Club
"In life, always say yes first."
Meet Mike
Mike Cunningham
Husband • Father • Friend
Mike never wanted ALS to define him—and it never did.
If you knew Mike, you remember his smile and his laugh. He had a quiet way of bringing people together, listening deeply, and making everyone feel at ease. He believed in hard work, humility, and family above all else—and he lived those values every day.
Mike chose presence over prestige. He wanted family dinners, long conversations, coaching teams, walking the dog, and being there for every moment that mattered. He was fiercely proud of his children, Dylan and Emma, and loved them with patience, encouragement, and unconditional support. He was a proud “girl dad,” a thoughtful mentor, a fixer of all things, and a soft-hearted man who wasn’t afraid to cry.
When ALS entered our lives, it changed everything—but it never changed who Mike was. During that journey, Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS) became our lifeline. They provided essential equipment, guidance, advocacy, and—most importantly—compassion. Their support allowed Mike to remain at home, surrounded by dignity, comfort, and family when it mattered most.
This fundraiser is held in Mike’s memory and in honor of every family facing ALS. Its purpose is to support CCALS in continuing to provide care, support, and hope—at no cost to those who need it.
“Always say yes first.”
For any questions, please contact Cheryl Cunningham at cherylcunningham21@gmail.com or 617-308-3439.
Tickets
Event Ticket — $75
Join us for a fun, meaningful evening in support of families living with ALS.
Your ticket includes:
- Hearty appetizers
- One drink ticket
- Music, games, raffles, and a festive night with friends
- Supporting Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS)
Come together, celebrate community, and help make a difference.
Say Yes Supporter Ticket — $125
For those who want to do a little more.
Includes everything in the Event Ticket, plus:
- Recognition as a Say Yes Supporter
- A $50 direct contribution to CCALS in honor of Mike’s legacy
- Music, games, raffles, and a festive night with friends
This ticket is a meaningful way to support families affected by ALS and helps CCALS to continue to provide care, resources, and compassion at no cost to those who need it most.
In life, always say yes first.
Sponsorships for Team Mike
Sponsor Team Mike
2nd Annual Swing for Sue
June 22, 2026
Join us for the 2nd Annual Swing for Sue, a golf tournament dedicated to honoring the strength, resilience, and spirit of Susan Long. All proceeds from this tournament will benefit Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that has provided invaluable support to families navigating this challenging disease. We invite golfers of all levels to come together in support of an incredible woman and an important cause.
ALS does not define Susan Long. Anyone who knows Sue recognizes her as the most positive person in any room—a "riot," a "rabble rouser," loving, kind, obsessed with her grandkids, and someone who would do anything for those she cares about. The proud mother of three and even prouder grandmother of five (soon to be six), Sue is selfless and resilient, and she won’t back down to ALS without a fight!
Sue’s earliest symptoms began in late 2021, when she noticed stiffness and foot drop in her left leg. Over time, her condition progressively worsened, first requiring a cane, then a walker, and eventually a wheelchair after a fall that resulted in a broken hip. Determined to find answers, Sue visited hospitals across Boston and consulted with world-renowned doctors. Month after month, she tirelessly advocated for herself, navigating a long and often uncertain path filled with varying opinions about her declining mobility. After two years of searching for clarity, she finally received an official diagnosis on her 67th birthday, September 26, 2023. Sadly, we lost Susan Jean Long this past November, when she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
Before the term "YOLO" (You Only Live Once) became popular, Sue was already living by this motto. Now, a year after her diagnosis, her overflowing positivity stands even stronger. She exemplifies gratitude each and every day, knowing how lucky she is. She is happy to share her story to bring awareness and hope to all those impacted by ALS. A few of her mottos include “You never know how strong you are until you have to be” and “I’m doing as much as I can for as long as I can” in relation to her health. Last year, we rallied around the hashtag #FightLikeSue, but we have decided that #LiveLikeSue is more accurate.
Plymouth Country Club
221 Warren Ave, Plymouth, MA
Agenda
12 PM – Golf Registration
1 PM – Shotgun Start
5:30 – PM Dinner
After Dinner Prizes, Awards, Raffles and Auction
Prizes
Longest Drive
Closest to the Pin
Cash Raffles
Silent Auction
*$250 Fee Includes Lunch, Range Balls, Golf Cart, Golf, and Dinner. $75 Dinner Only Option.
Become a Swing for Sue Hole Sponsor for $250
Have your organization’s name and logo displayed on a tee box; acknowledging your support.
Register Swing for Sue
14th Annual
Never Give Up for Pop Golf Tourney
Monday, June 22, 2026
We are so humbled to be hosting this event for the 14th YEAR IN A ROW! With HUGE thanks to all of you who participate year after year... Excited for a great day of golf, good food, great company all for an AMAZING cause!
ALL proceeds go DIRECTLY to Team Never Give Up running the Falmouth Road Race for Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that provides goods and services to families navigating ALS. This organization helped our family tremendously and we promised our Gramp, Robert J Powers, we would NEVER GIVE UP helping others living with this disease. This is why he named our Team Never Give Up!
Looking forward to another AMAZING day with all of you!!!!!
Taren, Kate, Bernie and our entire team!!!
Scramble Tournament Format
8:00am check in begins
9:00am shot gun start
Location
BrookMeadow Country Club
100 Everdon Rd
Canton, MA 02021
Registration Cost
$165 a golfer / $660 per foursome*
Includes 18 holes, cart, lunch and covers your donation to CCALS.
Prizes
- First, Second and Third Foursome
- Longest Driver
- Male and Female overall
* Please Note: No children under the age of 10 allowed in the tournament, Only children 16 years of age or older allowed to drive the carts.
Day of Tourney
Day of Tourney there will be a 50/50 raffle-$20 a sheet (winner must take the price) and Raffle Items ($20 a sheet) and Baskets! Bring Cash or Venmo!
Mulligans and "orange balls" can be paid for in advance with your registration or purchased day of the event at check in.
Games Day of Tourney
- Putting contest: $20 a foursome to enter
- On the green: $20 a foursome to enter
- Shot for a Shot: $20 a foursome
Prizes
Womens and Mens Longest Drive 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winner prizes!
Food
Catered by Tasty Rays Catering
Register