"There are a lot of people living on Long Island who do not have insurance and need assistance to purchase adaptive equipment for their home," Joe Testaverde, assistant director of the Long Island Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center (LISCIRC) said, after participating in the second annual 5K race for spinal victory that was held at Jones Beach State Park on Sunday, April 30.

LISCIRC, a project of the Testaverde Fund for Spinal Cord Injury, Inc. (SCI) a 501C3 nonprofit organization named after Long Islander, Joe Testaverde, seeks out those individuals and families living on Long Island who are in need of assistance to purchase adaptive equipment due to a spinal cord injury; to fund the "amazing work" being done to find a cure for SCI, and to educate young people about spinal cord injury prevention where Testaverde now speaks to junior high and high school students about SCI prevention throughout the Long Island school district.

Joe Testaverde was injured in a swimming pool accident six years ago at 17, and is now a quadriplegic.

And on a beautiful spring morning at Zachs Bay located at Jones Beach, 500 supporters from the North Shore and the South Shore of Long Island came together where runners, walkers and wheelchair participants raised $15,000 to benefit the Testaverde Fund for SCI. This year, the money will be used to purchase a voice-activated laptop computer, an airflow mattress and a power wheelchair to aid a young Long Island woman who was injured in a car accident in 2004, and is a high level quadriplegic.

Michelle volunteers her time outside of school where she participates at many fundraising events in the tri-state area singing at worthwhile causes. At the April 30 race for spinal victory, Michelle said: "Singing at an important fundraising event like this was a great feeling," and added, "I hope the support from everyone who came to Jones Beach today will bring us closer to a cure for SCI. That would be the greatest gift."

For information about the Long Island Spinal Cord Injury Research Center and the Testaverde Fund for Spinal Cord Injury, Inc. visit http://testaverde.org/fundraising.htm.