HomeVincent Mattiola
Pennsylvania Iota - University of Pittsburgh
My Iron Phi Story
Welcome to Our Personal Iron Phi Page
This year, Ryan Andris and Vincent Mattiola will be attempting to become Iron Phis - a distinction given to a small percentage of members within our Fraternity. The mission of Iron Phi is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members. Lou Gehrig was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and our organization has taken an active role in finding a cure.
The net proceeds will support ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) research, education, screening and treatment. It will also help strengthen an organization (Phi Delta Theta) that has had a lasting impact on our lives.
For our Iron Phi Athletic Event, we will be completing a 7-day, 200+ mile kayak trip in the Outer Banks the week after this Spring 2011 Semester is completed. Our plan is to put in somewhere between Corolla and Duck and paddle down the barrier island all the way past Ocracoke and to West Isles. From there we will head almost due north and cross Pamlico Sound (about 40miles of open water) and reach the inner-coastal side of the Sound. At this point we plan on paddling back up this side of the Sound and completing a full loop ending again in Albermarle Sound near Duck where we started. We plan on this trip taking about 7 days and have been doing extensive planning to cover all our bases. Adequate food, clean water, medical issues, navigation, and fatigue are all be issues we are anticipating to encounter and have been planning extensively to make this as smooth and fun of a trip as possible.
According to The ALS Association's web site, approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death, and in turn a debilitating life-threatening condition. That's why we're becoming Iron Phi's. To do something bold about Lou Gehrig's disease.
I've set my personal goals at $1000 each. So we need your help. Would you please consider making a donation to our cause? You can make a donation on this page by clicking on the "Make a Gift" link below the thermometer. You can also contact one of us to discuss other forms of donation (cash, check, etc).
I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with us - by supporting us in our fundraising efforts.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Sincerely,
Ryan Andris - email: rga5@pitt.edu cell: (267) 421-7776
Vincent Mattiola - email: vvm2@pitt.edu cell: (484) 550-8122
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How Does My Donation Make a Difference?
Your donation towards an Iron Phi athlete equally supports two very important things: Supporting ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) through research and support of ALS families and leadership development for undergraduate members of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
At the end of each year calendar year, the LiveLikeLou Foundation grants dollars raised through Iron Phi to fund its initiatives that support ALS research, scholarships to support the higher education goals of ALS dependents, and summer camp experiences for children who have a parent or grandparent with ALS.
Dollars used for undergraduate leadership development have and continue to help Phi Delta Theta educate more of its undergraduate members as they work to “Become the Greatest Version of Themselves.”
