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WEIGHTLIFTERS TO PUMP FOR PLEDGES TO FIGHT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

MONROE EVENING NEWS
ELISA TOMASZEWSKI
1997






Roy Begley's heart - and hopes - would be uplifted if he knew what his buddy Tom Pearch has done. Mr Pearch, a 26 year old from Newport, has organized a weightlifting contest to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Mr Begley's memory. The MDA Charity Lift will be at noon Saturday at the Frenchtown Square Mall, which is co-sponsoring the event with Powerhouse Gym, 990 S. Monroe St. Mr Begley of Monroe was diagnosed with scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy, which strikes the muscles in the lower back, in 1990, shortly after he joined the armed forces. He died from an allergic reaction to medication on June 15, 1995. He was 24 years old and left behind a wife, Jodi Clark, whom he had married in 1993; his parents, the Rev Austin and Ella Begley, and a sister, Gloria. He also left behind Mr Pearch, whom he had met at Monroe High School through a fellow weightlifter. The two became friends and ended up organizing the school's first weightlifting team. The diagnosisof muscular dystrophy ended Mr Begley's military career after high school, but not his spirit, Mr Pearch said. He continued to work and workout. For a while, the two buddies were part-time security officers at the mall. And even as the disease spread and began to attack more muscles, Mr Begley kept lifting weights. "Right up until the time he died, he did it," Mrs Begley recalled. Doctors believed that continued weight training would help keep his healthy muscles from atrophying. "That whole time, he was still really into weightlifting. It was a sport he really liked doing, but he used it as therapy to counter(muscular dystrophy)," Mr Pearch said. "He never got discouraged about it. He kept going." Mr Pearch got the idea for a weightlifting contest in Mr Begley's honor after attending a similar function in Sandusky, Ohio. "I just don't want people to forget about him, and this is one of the most honorable things we could do for him," Mr Pearch said. "This and fishing. He was a big fisherman." Laughing, Mr Pearch teased, "We could have a fishing contest." In the weightlifting contest, participants raise as much money as they can for MDA through pledges. They then compete for plaques by trying to lift the most weight. At least $25 in pledges is required to enter the contest. Those who get at least $50 will receive t-shirts. Divisions will be available for men, women, and teenagers. The Begley family has been touched by Mr Pearch's efforts, Mrs Begley said. "My son, I would love for him to be there and know about this, but as Tom said, "It's the next best thing," she said. The family plans to attend the event. She expects the experience to be an emotional one, especially because the contest is being held just a day before what would have been Mr Begley's 26th birhtday. "It's such an honor," Mrs Begley said. "Roy, he would just be overwhelmed with the whole thing. I know he would, becuase he loved weightlifting." Participants can begin registering at 10:30 am the day of the event.