MONMOUTH – To raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the historic summer Theater at Monmouth will donate half of all dedicated proceeds from a July show to the nonprofit fund-raising organization, ALS Hope.

The 7:30 p.m. play on Friday, July 16, will be Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, “As You Like It.” Tickets are $25 and must be reserved by June 15. Call the Monmouth Theater box office at 933-9999 and specify seats for the ALS fund-raiser night.

Only tickets reserved by June 15 especially for the ALS fund-raiser are subject to the theater’s offer to donate half the ticket price to ALS Hope.

The fund-raiser was initiated by a group of women who formed shortly after their 33-year-old friend, Darcy, was diagnosed with ALS in 2003.

ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The disease usually leaves people paralyzed, with their minds intact, within three to five years after diagnosis. Even though the disease was discovered in 1869, even though 30,000 Americans of both genders, all races and all ages have ALS, with 5,600 new cases diagnosed each year, there is still no cure and little funding for research.

ALS Hope is dedicated to financing studies aimed at treating and curing ALS. The nonprofit organization has been selected as the recipient of the Monmouth Theater ALS fund-raiser because they are wholly invested in funding progressive, cutting edge research.

ALS Hope is based in St. Louis but has a strong Maine connection. Its founder, Chris Hobler, who has ALS, attended Bates College.