Tennessee Titans quarterback and former Monmouth College standout Alex Tanney has been on the receiving end of plenty of form tackles. Now, Tanney hopes to deliver a tackle of his own to the disease known as multiple sclerosis.
Tanney’s sister-in-law, Julia, was diagnosed with the potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord just a few months into his rookie season six years ago. After seeing the impact it has had on his brother Matt’s wife and family, Tanney wanted to get involved with a fundraiser.
“Really just the goal is to bring awareness and to raise money for multiple sclerosis research. We’re hosting three events here in Monmouth in July; we have a youth football camp, a golf outing, and then a dinner and silent auction,” he said.
On Friday, July 13, Tanney, along with a few current and former NFL players, will put on the youth football camp at April Zorn Memorial Stadium on the campus of Monmouth College. The camp is open to 1st through 8th grade students. The event will be split into two sessions; Session 1 will feature 1st through 4th graders, and run from 4 to 6 p.m, while Session 2 is for 5th through 8th graders from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $20 and includes a t-shirt and goodie bag.
On Saturday, July 14, the golf outing at Gibson Woods will start at 11 a.m. Cost is $60, and prizes will be awarded for winners of various contests throughout the day. The final phase of the event will be the dinner and silent auction starting at 6 p.m. held at Monmouth College’s Dining Hall located at the Stockdale Center. Cost is $40. However, registration for both the golf outing and dinner is $90.
The proceeds from the action-packed weekend will go toward the research efforts according to the Lexington, Ill. native.
“100 percent of proceeds are going towards Dr. Terry Wahls Research Fund at the University of Iowa. She is one of the leading researchers in the field of multiple sclerosis. Julia has kind of taken to her research and stuff, so we think it’s a really good cause,” Tanney stated.
To find out more about Tanney’s efforts to combat multiple sclerosis, visit his fundraiser website at tacklemswithalextanney.com.
written by Jackson Kane
