Winnetka’s Play for Parkinson’s rallies community on course, courts

Having lived with Parkinson’s for 14 years — eight diagnosed and six undiagnosed — Winnetka resident Mike DeBartolo knows that physical activity can slow the progression of the neurodegenerative disease.

He used that knowledge to start the Play for Parkinson’s initiative, an annual fundraising and community-building event in Winnetka, in partnership with the park district, that celebrated its sixth year on July 12.

Centered on physical activity through golf and tennis, the day supports those with Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s research initiatives.

“Unfortunately, (Parkinson’s) is the second fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s in the country,” DeBartolo told The Record, citing statistics from the Parkinson’s Foundation. “There’s [1.1 million] of us with Parkinson’s that are diagnosed with it and maybe many more who are undiagnosed. It’s a movement disorder.”

Exercise is widely recognized as one of the only known ways to slow the progression of the disease, with DeBartolo citing, too, the importance of play-based exercise — a central part of Play for Parkinson’s — in bringing people together in a joyful, supportive setting.

The event began in 2020 as the golf-centered Par for Parkinson’s, and then alternated annually from there between the former and tennis-centered Play for Parkinson’s. This year marked the first time in which Par and Play were combined with a golf session offered in the morning and tennis in the afternoon.

Approximately 100 people attended the golf session and 70 people attended the tennis session for the July 12 event.

“The initial participants (in the event’s early years) were largely people who cared about people with Parkinson’s but not so many people with Parkinson’s,” DeBartolo said. “What’s happened over the six years is that now, at least a third of the people participating … have Parkinson’s, so the community has come out.”

For DeBartolo, the mix of attendees — those with Parkinson’s disease and those touched by it — is telling.

“What it shows us is that we’re not alone,” he said. “The community that comes out to be supportive of us is a really good indicator that people care about us and love us, and that gets noticed.”

Thanks to support from family, friends, community members and outreach from the Winnetka Park District and fundraiser supporters, DeBartolo said roughly $240,000 was raised this year alone toward Parkinson’s research and initiatives.

The primary beneficiaries are Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and Northwestern Medicine.

Overall, what began as a $20,000 fundraiser in 2020 has grown significantly: A striking sum of more than $700,000 has now been raised across six years.

Day of play

This year’s golf-tennis combination day ran from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 12, with the golf session in the morning and tennis in the afternoon.

Approximately 100 golf attendees were present for a 30-minute exhibition to watch top collegiate champions play, followed by free golf lessons and an opportunity to play Winnetka’s Par 3 course.

Then, 70 or so tennis attendees watched an hour-long tennis exhibition with college All-America players before joining clinics for beginner, intermediate or advanced players. Some high-level players competed against the top collegiate exhibition players.

Instructors for both golf and tennis donated their time, and Michael J. Fox Foundation covered tee and court fees that were already heavily discounted by the Winnetka Park District.

Miles Tucker, the general manager of the Winnetka Golf Club, and Pat Fragassi, manager of the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center, have also been key partners in organizing the annual event.

“Those resources in Winnetka are so appreciated by the community, and the heart that it shows to partner with us … is something we couldn’t have done without the partnership and participation of the Winnetka Park District,” DeBartolo said in a joint call with Fragassi.

Fragassi added, “Knowing the benefits the game of tennis brings to people, (this was) an opportunity to bring people out to play, have some fun, and socialize with each other. It’s really been great relationship building with the folks that have come and played with us throughout the years, and I’m just really happy and proud to be a part of the partnership.”

Parkinson’s Players

While Play for Parkinson’s occurs annually, Fragassi, Tucker and others offer year-round support to DeBartolo and fellow members of the community with Parkinson’s.

Northwestern Medicine is a significant beneficiary of the fundraised monies not only because it contributes to Parkinson’s research but also because it helps provide regular, play-based programming, known as Parkinson’s Players, in five locations throughout Chicagoland.

More than 150 registrants are part of this group, through which they play weekly tennis, golf and ping-pong. Every Wednesday, members of the Parkinson’s community, including DeBartolo, join Fragassi on the tennis courts.

To make information on this programming more accessible, DeBartolo created Touched by Parkinson’s, a website that lists its mission as “to inspire those who live with Parkinson’s, and those who love us, with inspirational stories, resources and programs.”

On the site, DeBartolo provides information on Play for Parkinson’s annual event, how to donate to the fundraiser, and Parkinson’s Players’ weekly schedule of ping-pong, golf and tennis as well as signup details.

“(We’re) so grateful to the park district for caring for us and the community,” DeBartolo said of the collaboration, expressing his gratitude also for Northwestern Medicine and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

This gratitude, too, is mutual.

“It’s a pleasure to work with (Mike) and the players I’ve met throughout the years, and I look forward to it every Wednesday,” Fragassi said of Parkinson’s Players and Play weekly programming. “It puts things in perspective, right, when we think we’re having a bad day, I think things could always be a little tougher for all of us, so it keeps me a bit grounded in what I do every day and gets me energized each and every day I come to work.”

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