LETTER CARRIERS NATIONWIDE TO “BOWL FOR A CURE” ON NOV. 1 TO AID MDA

Thousands Expected to Bowl on Their One Day Off

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 26, 2009 — Thousands of members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), a chartered member of the AFL-CIO, will head for their local bowling centers Sunday, Nov. 1 to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

As part of the union’s first national Deliver the Cure bowl-a-thon event, participants will raise money by seeking donations from friends and acquaintances. Local merchants may further boost funds raised by sponsoring individual lanes of play.

NALC represents city delivery letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service. The union became MDA’s first national sponsor in 1952, and today represents more than 300,000 active and retired members.

“NALC is a loyal friend whose members have devoted long hours of their personal time to raise millions of dollars for MDA over the years,” MDA President & CEO Gerald C. Weinberg said. “The Deliver the Cure bowl-a-thon event is a welcome new charitable endeavor that reflects the union’s continuing commitment to helping others.”

Money raised during the single-day event will support MDA’s worldwide research and services programs. NALC President Fred Rolando said NALC has 2,500 branches representing letter carriers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

“Our members are an essential component of American life. They deliver the mail faithfully, but they’re also very much vital supporters of the communities in which they live,” Rolando said. “We’re excited to add this new dimension to our philanthropy.”

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.