Rally 4 Charity Featuring Boe-Wiegaard

Bates College sophomore Will Boe-Wiegaard won the New England Small College Athletic Conference men's tennis singles title for the second consecutive year, defeating Middlebury's Nate Edmunds, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 at Williams on Sunday.

Will Boe-Wiegaard, a 2002 graduate of Joel Barlow High and 2006 NCAA Division III mens singles tennis champion, will play in the first annual Rally 4 Charity Exhibition on Saturday, July 25, from 2 to 6 at the Milford Indoor Tennis Center. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit several charitable organizations, including the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Foundation, Save the Children, Rally for the Cure and the Tim and Tom Gullikson Family Support Fund at the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

The featured match starts at 2 and will be a two out of three sets between Boe-Wiegaard and Justin Natale.

The latter was an ATP world ranked player, reaching as high as 586th in 2008.

There will be 250 on-court seats available with suggested donations of $10 for general admission, $20 for front row and $100 for sponsor zones.

Since graduating from Bates College (May 2006-present) Boe-Wiegaard competed in more than 30 professional events (Futures, Challengers, and ATP level) around the world (Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, and the U.S.) and had several wins over currently world-ranked ATP players.

The event will also feature tennis clinics and contests with prizes for children from 2 to 2:30, a silent auction from 3:30 to 4 and a tennis exhibition from 4 to 6. Food and drinks are available.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrigs disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Save the Children is the leading, independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world.

Rally for the Cure, in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Conde Nast Publications, is a grassroots program dedicated to spreading awareness in the fight to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease.

Its events provide the platform for special fund-raising opportunities for Komen for the Cure.

The Tim and Tom Gullikson Family Support Fund at the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation provides support for brain tumor patients and their families.