See by the Sea Lacrosse Benefits Choroideremia Research

1) Newsbit of the Day: 

First Annual “See by the Sea” Lacrosse Festival at Endicott College to benefit Choroideremia Research Foundation (CRF)

The “See by the Sea” lacrosse festival, a fund-raising event, will take place on Sunday, April 21, 2013, beginning at 1 pm.  Games will be played all afternoon.  The kick-off game will be between Endicott College and Nichols College.  At 3:30PM Swampscott will face Saugus.  The final game of the day at 5:30 will be Marblehead and Newburyport.  The festivities will take place at Endicott Stadium, Endicott College, 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915

Proceeds from the festival, raffle, and donations will all go to benefit the Choroideremia Research Foundation.  Choroideremia (CHM) is an inherited retinal degenerative eye disease that causes blindness.  In children, CHM causes night blindness.  As the disease progresses, it compromises the person’s peripheral vision.  Ultimately, this terrible disease causes blindness.

“This is a cause that is extremely personal to our family,” said Tom Driscoll of Swampscott.  “Our two sons Thomas and Robert have this rare inherited eye disease.  My wife, Tara Cassidy-Driscoll, and I decided to organize this event to raise awareness of CHM as well as try to raise as much money as we can to support some really promising research.   Our boys have played lacrosse since elementary school and are huge fans of the sport.  It seemed like a perfect fit.”

Currently, there is no cure or treatment for CHM.  However, there is groundbreaking research taking place.  In Europe, the first human clinical trial using gene therapy has been underway for a little over a year and is going very well.  This is also a very exciting time for CHM research here in the United States.   Dr. Jean Bennett M.D., Ph.D., at The Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, has already cured one eye disease using gene therapy.  Dr Bennett has taken on the challenge to cure CHM using gene therapy.  She has been working diligently to get the necessary FDA approval for this trial here in the US.  Dr. Bennett is hoping to start the CHM human clinical trial in the US in the fall of 2013.

According to Tara Cassidy-Driscoll, the cost of Dr. Bennett’s trial is $3,000,000. The Foundation Fighting Blindness is donating $1,500,000 toward the cost of the trial.  The trial will need funding for the additional $1,500,000.  Donations to the Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc. (CRF) will help ensure that this, and other critical eye research, will continue to be funded.  “We hope lots of people will turn out on Sunday, April 21st, to watch some great lacrosse at Endicott Stadium in Beverly and have a chance to learn more about Choroideremia,” said Cassidy-Driscoll. 

The “See by the Sea” Lacrosse Fund-raising Festival will be held on Sunday, April 21st, beginning at 1PM, at Endicott Stadium, Endicott College, located at 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915.  If interested in more information about this event or the Choroideremia Research Foundation please visit www.choroideremia.org . Donations may be made online at http://choroideremia.org/?page_id=2293 or by check made payable to: Choroideremia Research Foundation, 23 East Brundreth Street, Springfield, MA 01109-2110. In memo line please write “See by the Sea”. 

2) Town and School Watch: 

The Swampscott Town Clerk’s Office in Town Hall at 22 Monument Ave. will extend their office hours Wednesday, April 10th until 8 PM for a voter registration and or change of Party affiliation deadline.  In order to cast a ballot in the upcoming April 30th Elections you must be registered to vote no later than April 10th.  Qualifications for voter registration include you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, at least 18 years old on or before Election Day and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.    Official Voter Registration forms are available in the Town Clerk’s Office, or by downloading the form on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: http://www.eac.gov/voter/Registration%20to%20Vote.   

***All 2013 Absentee voters must complete a new Absentee ballot application***
Additional Election information is available on the “Elections Department” of the Town’s Website   www.town.swampscott.ma.us
For your convenience you may also e-mail or call Sue or Connie in the Town Clerk’s Office

 Sue             sduplin@town.swampscott.ma.us                781-596 4167

Connie  chayes@town.swampscott.ma.us                781-596-8855

3) Swampscott Scholars: 

Amanda Meninno of Swampscott earned honors at Purdue University during the fall semester. Students must have had at least a 3.5 semester or cumulative grade point average on a four-point scale.

4) Weather Watch: 

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11am, then a slight chance of showers between 11am and noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.

5) School Watch: 

Here are items listed on the School District calendar:

• 02:30PM METCO - HOMEWORK CLUB
• 02:40PM SHS DRAMA CLUB - SPRING MUSICAL

• 08:30AM MATH CONTINUATION GRANT 
• 06:30PM Football Booster Meeting