10th Annual CVS/pharmacy In-Store Fundraising Campaign Provides $4.3 Million Boost to ALS research

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A former NFL player, a country music star and two men from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who have been friends since childhood, will gather at Fenway Park this evening with a common goal. They will celebrate the success of CVS/pharmacy's 10th annual in-store fundraising campaign to support the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – which this year raised more than $4.3 million – and they will unite in communicating their continued commitment to finding a cure for ALS. Funds generated by this year's campaign bring the total amount raised by CVS/pharmacy colleagues and customers for ALS research to more than $27 million. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/NE50800LOGO )

Three of the four men gathering at Fenway prior to the Boston Red Sox versus Yankees game share a diagnosis of ALS: Kevin Turner of Birmingham, Alabama, who played eight seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles throughout the 1990s; Treg Charlton of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who is a regional director of real estate for CVS Caremark; and Barry Winovich – Charlton's friend since elementary school and a fellow resident of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Grammy-nominated country music star Ty Herndon of Alabama joins the group as celebrity sponsor – along with Turner – of the CVS/pharmacy "Researching a Cure" fundraising campaign. Charlton and Winovich are co-chairs of the campaign.

All four men will participate in pre-game traditions to mark funds raised by the campaign, including an on-field check presentation to ALS Therapy Alliance – a leading organization dedicated to advancing ALS research; a ceremonial first pitch thrown out by Charlton; and the singing of the National Anthem by Herndon whose song "Journey On" is the official song of the Kevin Turner Foundation and the CVS/pharmacy "Researching a Cure" fundraising campaign.

Jon Roberts, executive vice president of CVS Caremark, whose family was impacted by ALS said, "The fact that Treg, Barry, Kevin and Ty have joined us today to celebrate the success of our in-store fundraising campaign for ALS research and to remind people that there are still ways to help fight this debilitating disease, is an extension of their incredible commitment to finding a cure for ALS.  These men have gone above and beyond in terms of the time and energy they have devoted to this cause; their personal stories have been tremendous motivators to CVS/pharmacy, its colleagues and its customers in raising funds for ALS research. We are so grateful for their involvement in this campaign, which is allowing CVS/pharmacy to provide a significant donation to ALS Therapy Alliance for new clinical research with the aim of discovering a cure for ALS."  

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a disorder in which there is progressive degeneration of motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord leading to paralysis and death, typically within three to five years. There is no known cause or cure for ALS, which affects 25,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

While this year's CVS/pharmacy in-store "Researching a Cure" campaign ran from June 5 through June 25, there is still a way to help. CVS/pharmacy, in collaboration with Charlton, Winovich, Turner and Herndon, encourage those interested in helping to donate $5 to ALS research by texting KICKALS to 20222.

Dr. Robert Brown, who oversees fund allocation for the ALS Therapy Alliance, noted, "The support of CVS/pharmacy is extraordinary.  To my knowledge, no other corporation has ever provided such remarkable support for research to understand and cure ALS.  The efforts of CVS/pharmacy are exemplary and unprecedented; all of us in ALS research are indebted to them for all that they have done."

About the ALS Therapy Alliance

The ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA) was founded in 2000 to provide a vehicle for a diverse group of scientists and clinicians to coordinate research related to ALS. The scientists involved in the ATA are affiliated with some of the best universities and medical centers in the greater Boston area, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard College, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. CVS Caremark is the largest corporate donor to the ALS Therapy Alliance. For more information, visit www.ALSTherapyAlliance.org.

About CVS/pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy with more than 7,200 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at info.cvscaremark.com.

SOURCE CVS/pharmacy