Gala of Hope 2026

The 8th Annual Gala of Hope presented by Green Star Exteriors was held on April 11, 2026 at Vie by Cescaphe and what a beautiful night it was! We are incredibly thankful to all of the incredible sponsors, inspiring speakers, hardworking volunteers, and you, our unbelievable community of hope!

The evening started with a special VIP hour for people living with ALS and their caregivers. As they arrived on the red carpet, they were greeted by the Ensemble of Hope and enjoyed early access to the Silent Auction and Raffle.

This year’s Silent Auction and Raffle were designated for a new initiative, Duck ALS, with the goal of obtaining a new van. Duck ALS raises funds for specific needs/projects, with a new van, dubbed the Duck Truck, the goal of this year’s fundraising.

Mary Holt-Paolone, Mental Health Specialist at the MDA/ALS Center of Hope, and Jamey Piggott, Executive Director of the ALS Hope Foundation, welcomed everyone and introduced Dr. Terry Heiman-Patterson, Co-Director of the MDA/ALS Center of Hope and President of the ALS Hope Foundation, and Ashley Corbin, Director of ALS Hope North.

Dr. Terry and Ashley shared the many collaborations and initiatives the ALS Hope Foundation has been a part of over the past year. Justin Fiordimondo, presenting sponsor from Green Star Exteriors, extended his well wishes for the evening and emphasized their family’s gratitude for the care his mother-in-law received at the ALS Center.

John Furey, Clinical Research Coordinator, and Jamey Piggott moved us into the next part of the program which highlighted the True North Men’s Group, which Greg Heydet, a person living with ALS and one of the founders of the group, described to the audience.

Justin’s speech was the true highlight of the evening, emphasizing that it takes a whole community, which he calls his flock, and stating that that is what HOPE looks like! There was not a dry eye in the house!

Honorary Gala Chair, Bob Spurrier, virtually thanked Justin Ramirez, the Keynote Speaker and the Ramirez family was presented with a gift, adopted flamingos at the zoo!

Last year’s Keynote Speaker, Doug Hill, introduced Special Performer Stephen Kellogg, using AI to generate his avatar and voice! Stephen encouraged us to share our love with ourselves and others and generously lent his name to a new fund to assist with communication.

The remainder of the evening was filled with dancing (thank you DJ Johnny A of Powered by Eclipse), dessert, and catching up with old and new friends. We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you who attended the event, purchased raffle tickets, participated in the Silent Auction, or made a donation. Your support truly makes a difference, and we hope you left feeling the impact of your generosity.

A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated committee members and volunteers! Your tireless efforts made every step of the journey—and the event itself—a shining success.

And finally, thank you to the people and their families who are living with ALS, or who had a loved one with ALS, who came to the Gala of Hope. We love and admire you and appreciate your presence. You are why we do what we do. 

See more photos in the 2026 Gala of Hope Album on Flickr!