A mix of Country stars and former football players gathered in Nashville, Tenn., recently to show support for ex-NFL player Kevin Turner at the Kevin Turner Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament.

The two-day, inaugural fundraising event was held April 22-23 to help further ALS research efforts.  Turner, a fullback with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots in the 1990s, was diagnosed with the disease in May 2010.  Mounting scientific evidence has linked repetitive head trauma to the onset of ALS.  Turner formed the Kevin Turner Foundation in 2010 to raise awareness about the connection and to help fund ongoing ALS research.

Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Chuck Wicks, Amber Hayes and Shenandoah’s Mike McGuire were among the Country artists in attendance at the event, which included a celebrity mixer and silent auction on Sunday night.  A golf tournament was held on Monday at the Governor’s Club in Brentwood, Tenn.

Former Tennessee Titans Kerry Collins and Blaine Bishop were on hand to show their support for Turner, along with Kyle Turley, who performed with his Country/Rock group, Kyle Turley Band.  Turner’s alma mater was well represented with appearances from former University of Alabama players Siran Stacy, Lemanski Hall, Mark McMillian, Jeremy Nunley, Hoss Johnson and Kevin Turner Foundation board member Craig Sanderson.  Turner played fullback for Alabama from 1988-1991 before being drafted by the New England Patriots in 1992.

“I was blown away by the support and turnout for this event,” said Turner.  “To see so many friends, former players and musical artists come out and donate auction items or sign up to play in the golf tournament was very humbling and inspiring.  We are making progress in the fight against ALS, but there’s still a long road ahead and a lot more that we are learning and discovering every day about concussions and this disease.  I am optimistic that one day in the future we will have a cure for ALS.”

Former professional wrestler and co-founder of The Sports Legacy Institute, Chris Nowinski was in attendance to speak to the crowd about the connection between repetitive head trauma and the organization’s efforts to make contact sports safer for athletes at all levels.  Turner works closely with SLI and Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy in their ALS and concussion research.

For more information or to donate in the fight against ALS, visit www.KevinTurnerFoundation.org.

Pictured L to R: Kevin Turner, Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney and KTF Advisory Board member Rob Burton on the golf course for the Kevin Turner Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament, held Apr. 23, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn.

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