Rep. Chippendale Is Third Highest Fundraiser In MDA 'Lock-Up'

State Representative Michael Chippendale (R-Coventry, Foster, Glocester) volunteered to be a jailbird last week, helping raise more than $17,000 for summer camps for children with Muscular Dystrophy (MD). He participated with about 50 others who also elected to be jailbirds for a day.

The event was the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s “MDA Lock-Up,” in which volunteers are sentenced to an hour of hard labor and get someone else to pay for it, with funds going to the MDA’s summer camp program.

Chippendale, who has Muscular Dystrophy, worked hard to earn his third place finish, setting up a special website and getting people to contribute despite a late-ending General Assembly session.

“I got a late start, but contributors were terrific. We received donations ranging from $10 to $100, and didn’t have to persuade anyone. They clearly saw the benefit of the cause, and opened up their wallets accordingly," he said.

“As someone with Muscular Dystrophy, much of my life is dictated by the things I cannot do, but this event is something that I definitely was able and more than willing to do."

“I have a very different set of challenges than most of the young children with MD, and I want to be able to help these great kids have a chance to do what many other children their age do every summer and attend summer camp,” he concluded.

Much of Chippendale’s time in “hard labor” was shared working with Tommy Newman of Riverside, RI, a six year old with Centronuclear Myopathy, a form of MD. Newman was recognized this year by the House of Representatives for being named the “MDA’s RI Goodwill Ambassador.”

The event was held at the Bonefish Grille at Sockanosset Crossing in Cranston. Restaurant owners closed the business during the day, and turned it over to the MDA to host the event.