The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Bridgewater, NJ – American Diabetes Association’s Northern New Jersey Market has announced that Sparky Lyle, a Major League Baseball Cy Young Award winner (1977) and Manager Emeritus of the Somerset Patriots, will join Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes as the Honorary Chair. Lyle, who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, will drive fundraising and raise awareness around three events in New Jersey.
The Step Out fundraisers will take place Sept. 28 at BD in Franklin Lakes, Oct. 11 at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, and Oct. 19 at Novo Nordisk in Plainsboro.
Lyle had a sixteen-year Major League career and played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox. Lyle won back-to-back World Series with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.
Under Lyle’s guidance as Manager, the Somerset Patriots won five Atlantic League Championships, 12 Half Championships, and eight Division Championships. He won over 1,000 games as the manager of the team. Lyle was named the Atlantic League Manager of the Year three times. He was named Manager Emeritus before the 2013 season.
“I found out first hand that diabetes is a serious disease and it affects nearly 26 million American children and adults,” said Lyle. “I am proud to be part of the Stop Diabetes movement by being the Chair of this year’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes in New Jersey. It is a wonderful event for family, friends and co-workers to come together and help raise money to change the future of diabetes.”
Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes is the signature fundraising and awareness walk benefiting the American Diabetes Association. Every dollar raised through Step Out plays an important role in supporting the Association’s mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.
Today, there are nearly 26 million Americans—including more than 8% of New Jersey’s population — who have diabetes. While an estimated 18.8 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7 million people are unaware that they have the disease. If current trends continue, one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050.
Most Step Out participants join or form Corporate, Family, Club, School or Church Teams, but individual walkers are welcome, too. National sponsors also provide critical funding and special thanks goes to: Novo Nordisk, Walgreens, Cary’s® Sugar Free Syrup, Equal® 0 Calorie Sweetener and PureVia® All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener.
To register, volunteer or more information, visit diabetes.org/stepout or call 1-888-DIABETES. To join Sparky’s Team at the Walk in Bridgewater on Oct. 11, visit www.diabetes.org/sparkysteam.
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
