Dan Jones of The Do It Like Dan Foundation
Meet Dan Jones, the namesake of the Do It Like Dan Foundation! The Mother of Anarchy has known Dan since childhood and has been observing from afar on Facebook how he and his family are managing their life following Dan’s October 2021 ALS diagnosis. We love to feature individuals who are doing great things in the community and Dan and Ann, his wife, fit the bill not only as long-time community volunteers but also in thinking about how to improve the quality of life of and dignity for those living with ALS.
For those not very familiar with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, it is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. When someone has ALS, their nerve cells break down and result in a weakness of muscle function. Currently, there is no cure for ALS, but researchers are making some progress on treatments to help remediate symptoms.
Before we highlight the work of Do It Like Dan Foundation, a little background on Dan. He grew up in Connecticut, attended Lafayette College where he played lacrosse and then worked with his family’s business. After Ann and he got married and had their first child, Izzy, they decided to move to VT in the early 2000s. They both dove into the community of Woodstock volunteering and taking advantage of the opportunities to ski, hike, mountain bike, etc. Dan was a youth hockey and lacrosse coach. After his ALS diagnosis, we love the fact that Dan took one-on-one trips–one to Portugal and the other to Prague and Paris–with his two kids who chose to do so (his middle son decided not to do a trip because he already had a lifetime of memories with his dad).
A group of friends started The Do It Like Dan Foundation as a tribute to Dan’s spirit and to create a legacy. The Foundation’s mission has evolved, and now focuses primarily on advocacy and helping families affected by ALS to maintain a high quality of life and enjoy outdoor activities. An example of the support they provide is a lending closet where families can borrow specialized equipment. Equipment currently available includes an Obi eating machine, a Terrain Hopper Overland (think all-terrain, motorized wheelchair), and an ultra light-weight wheel chair. Overtime, more equipment will be added to the Foundation’s closet.
You can support the Do It Like Dan Foundation, while also getting a chance to win some super cool skis, by entering the raffle for a new pair of Nordica 100 Enforcers! To learn more and enter the raffle click the link HERE. We tip our hats to the Do It Like Dan Foundation and the important work in supporting ALS-affected families.
And now, for the question we always ask, Dan and Ann are both huge fans of ice cream. They haven’t tried Sisters of Anarchy yet, but are looking forward to testing out our fruit flavors. We can’t wait to make this happen.