AJ Melaragno’s 5th Annual Memorial Scramble, held on Saturday May 22nd at the beautiful Willow Crest Golf Course in Oakbrook, IL, raised $48,500 to support ALS research.

Event organizer AJ Melaragno was proud of his golfers that more than doubled last year’s record fund-raising event (which raised over $22,000 for ALS research). Golfers were able to play in the scramble event while raising funds using various online tools supplied by Bright Side of the Road Foundation.

Event founder A.J. Melaragno explained his mission. “My good friend Barry Winovich was diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in March 2006,” he said. “But Barry will never give up. I’ve looked into his eyes and seen a passion to beat this disease. It’s my goal to use my Memorial Scramble to raise substantial funding for ALS research.”

A big Bright Side “Thank You” to all of our corporate sponsors who also helped to make this event possible.

A heartfelt thank you and a big congrats to our awesome team of Bright Side Guest Bartenders who returned to P.J. McIntyre’s Irish Pub in Cleveland’s Kamm’s Corners.

These fun, enthusiastic Bright Side volunteer bartenders worked together to raise over $20,500 to fund ALS research initiatives at the Cleveland Clinic!

It was provided a great opportunity for many of us affected by ALS in the Cleveland area affected to reconnect and recommit to our mission to find a cure for this disease.

Check out our photo gallery from this great night below:

Thank you again for another fun-filled night of Bright Side smiles, hugs, laughs, and memories!

We love and appreciate all of our bartenders and their great supporterss who made everything possible.

With these two guest bartending events, just one week apart from each other, our Bright Side volunteer bartenders worked together to raise over $52,000 to fund ALS research initiatives!

Joe Burgander & his Pittsburgh Guest Bartenders at Cioppino's

Treg Charlton and his Kansas City Guest Bartenders at McFadden's

Check out our photo galleries from both of these fun evenings below:

Thank you again for another fun-filled night of Bright Side smiles, hugs, laughs, and memories!

We love and appreciate all of our bartenders and their great supports who made these nights…and this great accomplishment…possible.

Debbie Williams and her team of guest bartenders blew out all expectations with our fund-raising event at the Mint Nightclub in Los Angeles.

The dedicated group raised $28,957 in tips to be used to support ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) research initiatives.

Special congratulations go out to our top five individual fund-raisers for the night:

Greg Hester
Nicole Privett
Ken Koprowski
Lee Pasteris
Debbie Williams

Thanks to everyone who attended this fun event with lots of laughter, cocktails, and love. Our founder Barry Winovich was in attendance, and he loved greeting everyone. From old co-workers to new friends on the West Coast, from current friends to old high school buddies, Barry valued each and every one of you who found the time to stop by and support his mission.

Thank you as well to Bright Side’s new celebrity friends who added some Hollywood sizzle to the night: Brian Van Holt of ABC’s Cougar Town, Sarah Lancaster of NBC’s Chuck, and Trina Dolenz of VH1’s Tool Academy.

An especially warm thank you also goes out to everyone who couldn’t attend, but found it in their heart to share a “virtual tip” online with their favorite bartender.

And to our team of guest bartenders; we love you and we appreciate your efforts more than you can ever know. Our success is entirely your success, and you will always be a special part of Bright Side!

Don’t forget, our bartenders’ tip jars will remain open for a few more days! Click to send them a virtual tip online.

The ongoing struggle to find a cure for ALS is a daunting task, but we won’t give up if you don’t give up.

Together we will make a brighter tomorrow for those afflicted with this disease.

Barry Winovich and the Bright Side of the Road Foundation

To view the individuals photos, click here.

The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com also posted photos and event coverage here.

A heart-felt thank you goes out to our Chicago Guest Bartending supporters.  The Chicago gang led by Jen Truzkowski raised $30,000 at Tommy Nevin’s on Saturday, September 12th!!  This is by-far our most successful Guest Bartending event to date and a sign that it pays well to drink and be merry once in a while!!

The evening did a great job to take the sting out of close Ohio State loss to USC.  Chagrin Falls, Ohio native - and old, dear friend - Jen Conway (Sutcliffe) and her husband Tom have set the bar at new levels for these events by raising over $10,000 themselves - truly a dynamic duo!!!

Thanks to everyone who supported our Chicago Guest Bartenders and ultimately our mission to fund important ALS research initiatives.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Guest Bartending event at the Ironwood Cafe on Friday night!!!

Through the gifts of your time and donations, we were able to raise over $13,000 in memory of Matt Pochatek to support the Barry Winovich Endowed Chair for ALS Research at the Cleveland Clinic.

We also want to thank our guest bartenders who were so generous with their time on a Friday night:

Meghan Pochatek
Julie (Pochatek) Packer
Mike Pochatek
Tom Pochatek
Jim Thomas
Gerry Thomas
Denise (Pochatek) Taylor
Don Taylor
John Hull
Mary Jane Hull
Kathleen Mulgrew
Dave Cook
Holly Hepner
Jeff Sorg
Nina Varga
John Graber
Laura Graber
Rob Reid
Tim Piai
Tom Trueman
Carol Trueman
Steve Waters

With your generosity, we can continute to support the Cleveland Clinic and its mission to identify the cause and cure for ALS.

Forever Grateful,

Barry Winovich and the Bright Side of the Road Foundation

In explaining his involvement with Bright Side, event organizer AJ Melaragno said, “I saw Barry a couple of weeks ago, and if you saw the passion and fight in his eyes to beat this horrible disease, then you would understand why I am putting this event on. Not only is this a great opportunity to get everyone together once a year, but it’s for a great cause.”

A big Bright Side of the Road “thank you” to the golfers who played in this event:

AJ Melaragno
Ken Melaragno
Randy Mears
Don Reichert
Jay Keltner
Grant Gannon
Tiffany Fishbein
Teddy Fishbein
Kevin Dooley
Lou Coines
Bhavin Shah
Praveen Nath
Rob Colosimo
Chris Zaruszak
George Melachrinidis
Nick Panousis
Spiro Zarkos
Tim Damis
Wayne Tschirn
Alex Damis
Steve Mellor
Chris Hall
Dave Behls
Sebastian Mitchell
Kevin Thompson
George Haralambakis
John Barnes
J.P. Gallagher

Thanks also go out to Bright Side Golf Liason Jen Leonard for all of her hard work in coordinating the event both behind the scenes and on the course!

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Guest Bartending event at P.J. McIntyres Irish Pub on Friday night.

Through the gifts of your time and donations, we were able to raise over $15,500 to support the Barry Winovich Endowed Chair for ALS Research at the Cleveland Clinic.

We also want to thank our guest bartenders who were so generous with their time on a Friday night:

• Krissy Steinmetz
• Jim Kerrigan
• Erin Reed
• Lisa Vargas
• Catie Baird
• Karen Ford
• Casey Yandek
• Dan Aerni
• Pete Shimrak
• Peter Menyhart
• Chris Livingston
• Joe Hewis
• Jim Antall
• and, of course, KISS!

With your generosity, we can continute to support the Cleveland Clinic and its mission to identify the cause and cure for ALS.

Forever Grateful,

Barry Winovich and the Bright Side of the Road Foundation

Thanks to all of our friends who spent on night on the Bright Side of the Road at Chicago’s Green Dolphin Street. It was another fun evening of cocktails, hearty appetizers, and damn fine blues as we joined together to support the research initiatives of The Barry Winovich Endowed Chair for ALS Research at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.