City man crusades in fight against Parkinson's

By: SLOAN BREWSTER, Press staff

MIDDLETOWN - Jeffrey LaGrange has all sorts of ideas on how to get folks to donate money to help cure Parkinson's disease.

This week, to reach his goal of raising $1,000 in contributions for Team Fox - a part of the Michael J. Fox Foundation that helps individuals and groups raise funds and awareness for Parkinson's research - LaGrange has set up containers in various businesses around town and will keep them out throughout the weekend.

"[Team Fox is] for people like you and me who have bake sales and pancake sales to raise money for Fox," saidLaGrange of Middletown.

There is a donation container at Dunkin Donuts in Stop & Shop.

"When you pay for your donuts and you have 50 cents change, you put in there," LaGrange suggested.

He put a container at Illiano's Restaurant on Washington Street, and when he went to pick up the donations, an employee handed him a "wad of $10 bills," LaGrange said. The cash was from employees who pooled their tips and gave a percentage to the cause. In total, LaGrange received $50 from them, which pleased him immensely.

Middletown Public Schools Central Office is also participating. Every employee who donates $5 will get to wear jeans to work Friday.

"We just think it's a terrific foundation that we have historically tried to contribute to, to try and cure Parkinson's," said Superintendent of Schools Michael Frechette.

But the big day is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when LaGrange, his wife, Jean, and their son and daughter, Brandon and Becky, will hang out in front of Stop & Shop to discuss the disease with passersby and ask for contributions.

"He asked us if he could set up shop and do his fundraiser out there; we said sure," said Assistant Store Manager Chris Ginolfi. "He seems very, very dedicated to that charity and I was very impressed with that. Anything we can do."

And just in case someone wants to donate, but cannot make it to out Saturday, there will be a bucket in the store, at the courtesy desk all weekend, Ginolfi promised.

"It's well-known, its something that affects a lot of people," Ginolfi said about Parkinson's. "[Jeff's] very passionate about it. It's good to see that there are still people in the world who care about stuff."

LaGrange's dedication is due to a couple of reasons.

One is personal. In January 2004, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's after months of wondering what was causing the tremors and weakness he had been experiencing.

But LaGrange's personal battle with the disease is not the only reason he wants to raise money for a cure. He is also fond of Michael J. Fox, whom he has met on several occasions. Everyone who raises $1,000 or more gets to meet the star at a dinner in New York City.

"He is the most lovely, wonderful, sweet gentleman you can ever meet ... humble," LaGrange flattered. "You say, 'Thanks Michael, for raising $126 million,' and he says 'Thanks for your $1,000 because yours was harder, because all I did was call Bill Gates.'"

The Fox Foundation has funded $126 million in research toward treatments for Parkinson's.

Last year, there were 85 people in attendance at the dinner "and [Fox] knows everybody's name, and he thanks everyone," LaGrange said.

"The perk of having Parkinson's is to be in the same category as Michael J. Fox," he said. "Who else is gonna cure Parkinson's but the Fox Foundation?" LaGrange is also a supporter of the Fox Foundation because of how much it gives toward Parkinson's research.

"84 cents out of every dollar - which is huge - goes to research," he said. "I think that's incredible, 84 percent."

Just try and walk past LaGrange without donating Saturday. He is well-skilled at encouragement and has a way of looking at someone and making them feel just guilty enough to give. It's a deliberate skill he uses because he believes in what he is doing, he said.

"Last year I made $1,100," he boasted.

To contact Sloan Brewster, call her at (860) 347-3331, ext. 211, or e-mail her at sbrewster@middletownpress.com