Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis Annual Spaghetti Dinner A group of young people, Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis, all of them 18 or younger, will be hosting their 3rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner on November 15th 2003. At LACP we're delighted to feature such outstanding efforts by our youth.

Led by a core group of about two dozen young adults, the Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis (YAMS) includes well over 100 more volunteers from the Greater LA area. YAMS, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that is run completely by people under 18. Their mission is twofold: to raise money for research, and resources, and to raise awareness among the youth about MS.

Multiple Sclerosis, MS, is an auto-immune disease that affects 2.5 million people worldwide and 30,000 kids in America. There is no cure yet for this debilitating disease and there are few treatments.

YAMS began in 2000 as an MS Walk team, that participated in the Southern California National MS Society’s Chapter of the National MS Walk at Warner Bros. Studios, and had a great time. As 8th graders, Joel Dinin and Kaley Zeitouni, who had been diagnosed with MS at age 12 and serves as the current Executive Director (& Founder) of YAMS, had organized the team, originally called "Kadima Kares," with the encouragement of their 8th grade teacher Mari Siegel.

They had 48 people participate on the Kadima Kares team, classmates and family members ... and they raised over $5,000!

The next year Rona Kremer, the current Assistant Director, co-captained with Joel and Kaley and the team name changed to YAMS, Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis, and showed up at the MS Walk with 277 walkers, raising over $17,000!

One year later, in 2002, there were 200 YAMS members, raising $37,000.

This past year, a Board of Directors was established along with the decision of the committee of 2002 to become a nonprofit organization as opposed to just an MS Walk team. This has allowed YAMS to raise even more money this year in the MS Walk, raising about $50,000, as well as being able to focus more on spreading awareness.

In 2003 alone 2,000 teens were educated about MS. YAMS sends out 3 newsletters a year to about 1,000 families (see below to join the list).

Today YAMS has raised over $100,000 in the fight against MS! This money goes to the National MS Society which then goes to fund research for treatment and for a cure, for resources for people with MS in the community, and to fund MS education.

Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis are hosting their annual Spaghetti Dinner at Milken Community High School, 15800 Mulholland Drive (just west of the 405 freeway) on November 15th at 6pm.

This is the 3rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner that YAMS is hosting. The goal of the Spaghetti Dinner is to inspire people to make a difference and become committed to the fight against MS. This year, YAMS, Inc. hopes to raise over $100,000.

The dedication and motivation expressed by YAMS is continuously reflected in all of their activities, events, and publications.

The Spaghetti Dinner promises to be no different.

YAMS, Inc. has been planning this year's Spaghetti Dinner for months. Included in the night's festivities will be a gourmet Italian dinner, a thrilling auction, and an awards ceremony.

In addition, Jason Abrams will be performing a solo piano piece and Kev Kenestetic will be performing his latest songs. Anthony Montgomery and Joe Torry will be in attendance.

LA Community Policing applauds this wonderful Greater LA area effort, and all the activities of Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis, and we're delighted to extend this invitation to participate to you.

We congratulate the outstanding work this group of dedicated youth, all of them under 18-years-old. We encourage you to visit their excellent website, and hope they will be an inspiration to others ... proof positive that being of service, no matter what your walk of life, improves the quality of life for all.

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Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis

Home page: www.YouthAgainstMS.org

Helena Rosenthal
Publicity Director
email: Helena@YouthAgainstMS.org

Elissa Gysi
Events Director
310 / 471-8946
email: Elissa@YouthAgainstMS.org

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