Contact: Alexson Kane, Communications Manager

Phone: 515-270-6341

Fax: 515-270-0337

Email: alexson.kane@nmss.org

DAVENPORT, IA - On Friday evening, November 14, 2008, over two hundred wine enthusiasts will gather at the Davenport Country Club to sample fine wines and food from around the world and raise money to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.   A Taste of Generosity, presented by EMD Serono, is considered by many in the Quad Cities to be the premier wine event of the year.  The evening features a silent and live auction of wines, gift packages and vacations.

"This event has been growing by leaps and bounds each year, "says area director for the National MS Society, Mark Davis. "We are expecting to raise around $63,000 this year to benefit the 400,000 Americans who live with multiple sclerosis."

Davis has been working with a committee of volunteers from the Quad Cities.  Local doctors and community leaders have served on the planning committee for several years - many since the event began. 

"After attending A Taste of Generosity several years ago, I knew I wanted to be involved and create a world free of MS by raising money for the treatment of MS and, eventually, its cure," commented Dr. Linda DeLessio, who sits on the planning committee.  "My mother, sister-in-law and two friends live with the disease. I personally know the impact it's had not only in their lives, but those of their families and friends. I'm happy to be a part of an organization that's so dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for anyone affected by this disease."

Dr. John Wright, of Neurology Consultants, LLC in Davenport and chair of the 2008 planning committee also became involved with the event to help those he knows who live with MS.  "In my line of work, we see so many people who have to overcome the psychological, physical and financial obstacles that come with a diagnosis of MS. Helping our patients and families meet those challenges is what's kept me motivated year after year to help grow this event and keep it moving forward."

At 5:30 p.m., A Taste of Generosity begins with an educational panel with local doctors.  This is a great opportunity to learn how proceeds from the event will further benefit MS research sponsored by the Society.  At 6:30, the wine tasting, h'or dourves and silent auction begin.  A variety of wines can be enjoyed from some of the best and newest wine regions from around the world.  For the first time, a tasting of premium tequilas will also be available. The wines and spirits are expertly paired with local foods to bring out their true flavors.  While sampling the wines, guests will have the opportunity to bid on a variety of distinctive silent auction items. 

The live auction will begin at 8:30 p.m., with over 30 different lots of rare wines and other exciting items.  To wrap the evening up, guests may purchase additional tickets to A Taste of Indulgence, which offers rich desserts and a port tasting. 

Reservations begin at $70 for an individual seat or $560 for a table of eight.  Reservations may be made online at tasteofgenerosity.org or by calling 1-800-344-4867. 

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and it stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.

MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2007 alone, through our home office and 50 state network of chapters, we devoted over $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested over $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the movement at nationalmssociety.org.