Rensselaer County Legislators Lester Goodermote and Stan Brownell, who represent the towns of Stephentown, Berlin, Grafton, Petersburgh, Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls, have donated $250 of their discretionary allotment from the Legislature to help sponsor a fundraiser for the Thayne family to help fight Ankylosing Spondylitis, a terrible illness that afflicts Tucker and Tom Thayne. The golf tournament is this weekend in Connecticut where Tony was from originally.
[private]The website for the golf tournament (www.teeoff4tucker.com) says, “Tucker’s story began with a limp getting off the school bus that became a little worse each day. [He was] An extremely positive 7 year old at the time, one who rarely, if ever, complained. Within a few short days he no longer could get himself out of bed. After a few months of doctor visits, tests, crutches, operating room aspirations the diagnosis was clear – Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)… He attends Arthritis Foundation events, has given a presentation about AS at his school and wears his Arthritis T-shirts with such pride.”
In April of 2013 Tucker’s father Tony was also diagnosed with AS. Tony’s disease is very advanced with much of his spine, neck and ribs already fused.
“We hope others would join in and do what they can,” said Brownell. “The Thayne family has done a tremendous amount for our community, and we all need to be mindful of all the good things folks are doing in our communities in spite of their hardships,” Brownell added.
[/private]