Top Charlotte Athletes, MDA Spotlight Children at Charity Event

Muscle Team® 2006, presented by CITGO Petroleum Corporation, pairs top Charlotte athletes with a MDA buddy (a local child living with a neuromuscular disease) and allows participants to mingle with the coaches, athletes, MDA buddies, celebrities and top business executives. The evening consists of interactive games, live and silent auctions featuring unique sports memorabilia and a variety of food and beverage stations.

This year’s Muscle Team® Honorary Coaches are Alan Simonini from Simonini Builders, Jubal Early from Lincoln Harris and Peirce Ward from New England Financial.

Muscle Team® 2006 will raise money for local families living with neuromuscular disease to aid in the cost of wheelchairs, leg braces, communication devices, clinic visits and summer camp. Proceeds will also benefit research for treatments and cures for a variety of neuromuscular diseases, including ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Muscle Team® 2006 celebrities/athletes confirmed to attend include:

Motorsports
• Jimmy Spencer, NASCAR Driver, Speed TV Host
• Jeff Burton, NASCAR Driver, No. 31
• Mike Wallace, NASCAR Driver, No. 09
• Kerry Earnhardt, NASCAR Driver, No. 33
• Elliot Saddler, NASCAR Driver, No. 38
• Milka Duno, SAMAX Motorsports Driver, No. 2

NBA
• Matt Carroll, Charlotte Bobcats, Guard #13

NCAA
• Bobby Lutz, Charlotte 49ers Head Coach

NFL
• Mike Rucker, Carolina Panthers, DE # 93
• Mike Minter, Carolina Panthers, DB #30
• Dan Morgan, Carolina Panthers, LB #55
• Dwight Stone, Panther Ambassador, Retired NFL player
• Eugene Robinson, Panther Ambassador, Retired NFL player
• Leonard Wheeler, Retired Carolina Panthers, Defensive Back
• Michael Dean Perry, Retired NFL player

Watersports
• Maeghan Major, World Champion Professional Wake-boarder
• Chris Parrish, Professional Water-skier
• Scot Ellis, Professional Water-skier

WNBA
• Helen Darling, WNBA Charlotte Sting

(More athletes & celebrities to be added)

MDA is a national volunteer-based health agency working to defeat more than 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. The Association’s programs are funded almost entirely by individual, private contributors and local businesses.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To receive more information about participating in Muscle Team® 2006 please call Theresa Miller (MDA) at 704-567-2912 or log on to www.charlottemuscleteam.com.