Zel’s Del Mar hosts fundraiser for Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County
Bill Glassman with his wife, Joelma, and daughter Bianca Lani
By Marlena Chavira-Medford
Staff Writer
Zel’s Del Mar recently hosted a fundraising dinner for the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County’s upcoming 12th annual “Sharon’s Ride.Run.Walk for Epilepsy,” the largest event of its kind in the nation.
On Sunday, April 17, hundreds of San Diegans will come together at DeAnza Cove in Mission Bay for the annual 15-mile bike ride and 5K walk and run, all in hopes of educating the public about epilepsy and raising funds for the foundation’s research and programs. Among those participants will be Bill Glassman, who has suffered from epilepsy for about four years and is the brother of Zel’s Del Mar owner Greg Glassman.
The brothers say giving back to worthy causes like these keeps with a family tradition set forth by their grandfather Zel, who was fixture in Del Mar and was dubbed the “unofficial mayor” thanks to community involvement.
“Our grandfather was one of the guys who did a lot for Del Mar and a lot for other people,” said Greg, who’s been at the helm of Zel’s for about a year and a half. “People still come in here and tell me stories about my grandfather, and how he helped. We want to keep that alive, so we’re finding ways to keep giving back.”
With help from Greg, brother Bill is now raising money for his team Aloha Oe Seizures, which will be competing in the April 16 event.
“Aloha Oe is a Hawaiian word that means goodbye forever and it was used for my team because I just want to get rid of these seizures forever,” explained Bill, a San Diego resident who once lived in Hawaii, where his daughter was born.
At one point Bill said he was suffering about one seizure a day and now, with treatment, he has about one seizure per month.
“When you have one of these seizures, it takes you down for the next day because every muscle in your body hurts — it’s horrible,” he said.
Bill’s epilepsy did not hit until his late 30s and doctors are not entirely sure what triggered his epilepsy because causes can range from genetics to diets to head trauma. His hope is that through fundraising and outreach he can help to further epilepsy research and education. If you would like to make a donation to his team, you can email him at Billyg63@Gmail.com.
For more information about Sharon’s Ride.Run.Walk for Epilepsy, visit sharonforepilepsy.org.
For more information about the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County, visit epilepsysandiego.org, call (619) 296-0161, or email info@epilepsysandiego.org.
For more information about Zel’s Del Ma, visit zelsdelmar.com or call (858) 755-0076.
Related posts:
- How sweet it is! ‘Gingerbread’ gala helps epilepsy fight
- Philanthropy Spotlight: Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego
- Philanthorpy Spotlight: San Diego Women’s Foundation
- Philanthropy Spotlight: San Diego Foundation
- Torrey Pines High School Foundation schedules spring fundraiser
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Posted by admin
on Apr 4, 2011. Filed under Del Mar, Featured Story, News.
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