Friends and Family, 

      You have probably known or do know someone devastated by ALS.   I am running in my Fluid Runner Trainer and friend, Marcy Dunn's half marathon:  Making Waves for ALS on Sunday, August 18.   It will be the only half marathon I will run at almost 78 years of age because it is in the water!! The purpose is to raise money for ALS United that supports families struck with ALS as well as research.  I will be running in honor of my beautiful daughter-in-law Sharon's, beloved mother, Shirley Faye Brisk Mongeon.  I love people's stories....please take time to read a brief story of Shirley's life shared by Sharon below.  In this story you will find words such as brave, loving, kindness, creative living, commitment to do her best, service.  All of these words will provide inspirational fuel for my 2 1/2 hour run.  Further inspiration will come from my daughter, Melissa, and my two granddaughters, Beka and Maizy who will be running with me..  

     My goal is $1000.  Would you consider being part of a "wave of support" for those affected by ALS.  I am so thankful for each of you!

Shirley Faye Brisk Mongeon was born on May 22, 1935 in Buffalo, NY. She came from a loving family who enjoyed sunny days boating by the falls and weekends at their cabin in the country. She became a beloved 3rd grade teacher and later a wife and mom to two daughters. She was active in her church, the neighborhood welcome wagon, gourmet club, and a ladies bridge​group. Service was a value Shirley held and in her later years she volunteered at a local historical site providing tours and education to school children. Shirley was also creative. She developed an interest in flower arranging and won many blue ribbons in local contests. Shirley was a perfectionist, expecting the highest of herself and setting an admirable example for those around her. Above all, Shirley loved her family. She made time with her grandchildren a top priority. Afternoons at the park, picnics by a lake, and story time at bedtime were some of the cherished time she spent with grandchildren. We were all devasted when she received the diagnosis of ALS in the spring of 2009. She had previously been a healthy, active, vibrant woman, and what lied ahead was terrifying to us all. The disease progressed quickly, and by the fall of that year she was on hospice care and passed away in February 2010. Shirley leaves behind a legacy of kindness, love, and bravery in the face of a devastating disease.  Shirley’s passing left a hole that is not easily filled, but we treasure her memory and look forward to the day we can be reunited again in our heavenly home.

                                                 Sharon Mongeon Peer