Several Queen Anne bars are helping a former UW basketball player in her fight against ALS.  Melissa Erickson was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2006.  She first noticed symptoms back in 2004 while playing professional basketball overseas.

On Saturday, August 29, Ring Around the Needle will raise money for the Melissa Erickson Foundation to help her pay for medical costs.  Tickets for the pub crawl are $35 if you buy in advance and $45 the day of the event.  You get a drink ticket for a beer at each of 8 participating bars, a T-shirt and merchandise coupons.  The group hopes to raise $15,000. 

Registration begins at 11:30am at Jabu’s Pub with the official “crawl-off” at 1pm.  From there, crawlers will be divided into groups and start at different points (so as not to swarm each bar) before making their way to Bandit’s, Buckley’s, Floyd’s Place, Hula Hula, Jalisco’s, Ozzie’s and T.S. McHugh’s.

The Seattle Storm are also offering $15 tickets (normally $34) to anyone attending the pub crawl to watch them take on the Atlanta Dream that night.  20 percent of all ticket sales sold to Ring Around the Needle participants will be donated to the Melissa Erickson Foundation.

If you can’t make the event, donations are welcome via Melissa’s web site.  You can also get updates on her progress there.