On Feb. 23, health club chain LA Fitness will host a nationwide ZUMBA event at clubs throughout the Philadelphia area to support Augie’s Quest, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to curing Lou Gehrig's Disease. Augie Nieto is a fitness industry leader who founded Life Fitness in 1977 after he and his partners developed the industry’s first electronic stationary bike, the LifeCycle. The introduction of cardio machines revolutionized fitness and today, Life Fitness is the top-selling commercial fitness equipment manufacturer in the world.

In 2005, Augie was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, a progressive motor neuron disease that causes complete paralysis. ALS affects as many as 30,000 Americans at any given time. Survival is typically three to five years after diagnosis, and no cure currently exists for the disease. After his diagnosis, Augie teamed up with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to create "Augie's Quest" to find a cure for ALS, drawing support from other fitness industry leaders. A lifelong adventurer with passions for a wide variety of activities, from scuba diving to snowmobiling, Augie continues to lead an active life despite the limitations of his disease.

The LA Fitness fundraising event will take place at more than 500 LA Fitness clubs across the country and is open to the public. Members and non-members alike can participate for a donation of $20, and all proceeds will go to Augie's Quest. Join LA Fitness on Feb. 23 and help make a big impact in the fight against ALS while having fun! 

Events are happening at all Philadelphia-area LA Fitness locations. To RSVP, please visit: https://secure.mdausa.org/donate/lafitness.

About LA Fitness

Founded in 1984, LA Fitness is one of the fastest growing sports club chains in the U.S. and presently has more than 500 locations in 22 states and Canada. LA Fitness' mission is to help as many people as possible achieve the benefits of a healthy lifestyle by creating a nationwide network of sports clubs, offering its members the widest range of amenities and the friendliest service at an affordable price. To learn more about LA Fitness and to find the club nearest to you, visit www.lafitness.com or call (800) LA FITNESS.

About Augie’s Quest

Fitness pioneer Augie Nieto started Augie’s Quest (augiesquest.org) in conjunction with MDA’s ALS Division. Nieto is co-founder and former president of Life Fitness of Chicago, and chairman of Octane Fitness. Augie’s Quest raises money primarily through a variety of special events, including: BASH for Augie’s Quest; Tradition of Hope in Los Angeles; Big Canyon Golf in Newport Beach, Calif.; ClubCorp Charity Classic at golf clubs nationwide; and Clubs for the Quest, a program that allows various fitness clubs across the country to engage their members in fundraising programs and events to benefit MDA’s Augie’s Quest.

About MDA

MDA (mda.org) is the world’s leading nongovernmental provider of ALS services and funder of ALS research. Over the years, MDA has led the fight against ALS, investing more than $290 million in its ALS research, services and information programs. People with ALS can be seen at 200 MDA clinics across the country, including 41 MDA/ALS centers. The Association’s research, health care services, advocacy and education programs provide help and hope to more than 1 million Americans affected by more than 40 other progressive neuromuscular diseases. For the latest research news and information about ALS and the other diseases in MDA’s program, visit mda.org and follow MDA on Facebook (facebook.com/MDANational) and Twitter (@MDAnews).

About Zumba Fitness, LLC

Zumba Fitness is a global lifestyle brand that fuses fitness, entertainment and culture into an exhilarating dance-party workout. Coined “fitness-parties,” Zumba classes blend upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography, which provide effective, total-body workouts. Founded in 2001, the company is now the largest branded fitness program in the world -- reporting more than 14 million weekly class participants, in over 140,000 locations, across more than 150 countries. In addition to its original Zumba® program, the company also offers a range of specialty classes, including Zumba Gold® (for active older adults), Zumba® Toning (body-sculpting class that uses maracalike Toning Sticks), Aqua Zumba® (the ultimate “pool party” workout), Zumbatomic® (Zumba routines for kids), Zumba Sentao™ (chair-based Zumba class that strengthens, balances and stabilizes the core) and Zumba® in the Circuit (a 30-minute workout that combines signature Zumba® moves with circuit training at timed intervals). The Zumba® fitness lifestyle is rounded out by the company’s many consumer product offerings, including DVD sets, music collections, multi-seasonal apparel and footwear, video games, Fitness-Concert™ events and a lifestyle magazine. For more information about Zumba Fitness programs and products, or to find a live class, visit zumba.com and find us on Facebook and Twitter.