A NON-PROFIT 501(c)3 ORGANIZATION

JUMP FOR THE CAUSE 2000

    In honor of the 10th anniversary of the passage of the American's With Disabilities Act, 35 of the worlds best skydivers gathered at Perris Valley Skydiving July 22nd/23rd, 2000 to "jump" start a fundraising event to benefit the USC Department of Neurology's Spinal Cord Research Program. The jumpers raised over $35,000, all of which goes directly to research, and set a new World Tandem Record.

    These jumpers joined paraplegic skydiver Coral Degagne (and her tandem partner Paco) for the 4th Annual JUMP FOR THE CAUSE skydiving fundraiser. Coral, 34, was injured in Aug. 1983 at the age of 18 while riding an ATC in the Mojave Desert in Calif. The result was total paralysis from the waist down, confining her to a wheelchair. On Oct. 17, 1992 with the help of her high school buddy, Jay Schumacher, Coral made her first tandem skydive at Calif. City Skydive Center. Since then Coral has logged 200 jumps, all tandems, and is the only paraplegic to attain a USPA C license, (restricted). This weekend the jumpers made the first ever multi aircraft "big ways" built around a tandem.

    General Motors Mobility Program sponsored the event and driver, Evan Evans (a paraplegic who was just named "Rookie of the Year" at Pikes Peek and who also set a record with a GM Diesel Pick-Up Truck), presented a $10,000 check at the Saturday night banquet. Mallory Lewis, daughter of late entertainer Shari Lewis, and Lamb Chop hosted the event.

    Also this weekend, in Dallas, Texas, jumpers set a new State Record, which was also a "Jump For The Cause Fundraiser" to benefit the USC Department of Neurology's Spinal Cord Research Program.

For additional pictures of this event, taken by Brad Hood of Jump Run Productions, click here and a new window will open. Close the window to return to Jump For The Cause!

HOME