ALS Canada will host two truck pull events this fall in Ontario to support Canadians living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with teams competing to pull a truck by hand over 100 metres (328 feet).

Teams of up to 14 people will race against the clock while raising funds to support people living with ALS and advance research into the disease, which progressively paralyzes individuals by preventing the brain from communicating with muscles. As a result, people with ALS often face a swift decline in the ability to talk, walk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe.

The truck pull fundraiser launched in 2022 and has raised more than $750,000 to date. Last year, 15 teams and 250 participants across the two events raised $213,563. The organization aims to raise a combined $380,000 this year.

The Pull to End ALS Toronto event is scheduled for Sept. 19 at York University in North York, while the event in Simcoe County will take place Oct. 18 at Georgian College’s Barrie campus.

“We’re thrilled to bring the ALS Canada Pull to End ALS back again this year. There’s nothing quite like watching teams of friends, colleagues, and families come together, dig deep, and conquer the challenge of pulling a 42,000-lb truck,” said Rachel Curran, manager, fundraising events at ALS Canada. “When you register, fundraise, and take part in the ALS Canada Pull to End ALS, you’re not just joining a fun and powerful event — you’re taking meaningful action to support people living with ALS in Canada and helping drive us closer to a world free of ALS.”

Nearly 4,000 Canadians are currently living with ALS, and about 1,000 people are diagnosed each year, according to the organization. Four out of five people diagnosed with the disease die within two to five years.

LMB Transport supports the cause

Among those supporting the events is Belleville, Ont.-based LMB Transport, which provides a specially wrapped ALS awareness trailer used at the pulls and other events.

The initiative was inspired by Richard “Lee” Bryson, a veteran truck driver and former employee of the company who was diagnosed with ALS.

Lenny Brown, president of LMB Transport, told trucknews.com that the company partnered with Big Rig Wraps and several sponsors to create the trailer to raise awareness of the disease after they learned of Bryson’s diagnosis.

“Lee Bryson sadly passed away in 2023, but he was able to see the difference this special wrapped trailer was making,” Brown said. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised using it to help fight this terrible disease and help the folks that get stricken with it.”