Make A Touchdown Pledge and Share Some 'Hope for Gus'

Submitted by Jack Lowell

On Friday, Oct. 4, the Souhegan Sabers football team will join forces with the Hope for Gus Foundation and the Souhegan Ethics Forum to host a game where everyone will win - the home team and boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 

In order to raise funds to help fight DMD, the Sabers are building awareness of this fatal genetic disorder that afflicts one in every 3,500 boys born each year. By making a “touchdown pledge” – a small donation for every touchdown scored during the game, Saber fans and community members can help make a difference.

Steve Dreher, a teacher at Souhegan High School, and his wife
Tonya, started The Hope for Gus Foundation in 2010 after their 4 year old son, Gus was diagnosed with DMD.   The disease causes muscle deterioration.  As a result, boys with DMD lose the ability to walk in early adolescence and typically die in their late teens or early twenties.
   
“Since we started the foundation three and a half years ago,” says Dreher, “Gus’ prognosis hasn’t changed, but we have seen tremendous strides in the scientific research – we have real reasons to believe that we can stop DMD, and Souhegan has been with us every step of the way.”

This will be the third year for the touchdown pledge, an event that brings together student athletes, Souhegan’s Ethics Forum and the entire student body.  Mike Beliveau, Souhegan’s former football coach, was instrumental in starting the tradition.  

“We have raised almost $10,000 in two years,” says Beliveau. "We would like to double that amount this year.”  

Chris Brooks, advisor to The Ethics Forum at Souhegan adds, “This is an amazing opportunity to bring everyone in our community together in support of an initiative that is devoted to a very important outcome.  The Ethics Forum is proud to be working again with Steve and the Hope for Gus Foundation this year.”

Tonya Dreher, Gus’ mom and executive director of Hope for Gus, is continually gratified by the efforts of the Souhegan community.  “The teachers, students, and community members in Amherst have been incredibly supportive of our family and the foundation.  Our hope that we can cure Gus and other children with DMD is real - because people believe in what we’re doing.”

To help raise awareness of the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, Gus will help lead the team onto the field, and he'll accompany the captains for the coin-toss.  In addition, the end zone will become "The Gus Zone."  Information about The Hope for Gus Foundation will be available at the game, along with merchandise for sale, a 50/50 raffle, and a place to make a donation.  Please visit www.hopeforgus.org for more info.

For more information on making a "Touchdown Pledge" contact Steve and Tonya Dreher at (603) 464-9588 or hopeforgus@yahoo.com.