GRANVILLE — The Granville Gang is an ambitious bunch.
Its members annually participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes. They raise money, make T-shirts and even asked Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers music group to be a judge in an upcoming fundraiser they have planned.
No word on that front yet.
But at least one celebrity is confirmed to be in town Aug. 20 and 21 for the Granville Gang’s most ambitious fundraiser yet: Ethan Zohn, winner of “Survivor: Africa” and host of a new television series titled “Everyday Health.”
The show, premiering on ABC affiliate stations in September, is a joint venture by Everyday Health Inc. and Litton Entertainment. It “will showcase extraordinary-ordinary Americans who are facing or have overcome health issues and are paying it forward,” an Everyday Health press release states.
The show is hosted by Zohn, his longtime girlfriend and “Survivor: The Amazon” champion Jenna Morasca and Laila Ali, former professional boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali; it is produced by “The Biggest Loser” creator Mark Koops. The show brings its celebrity cast to towns across the country to help with fundraising efforts for health-related causes.
In the process of searching the country for people to feature in the show, producers stumbled across a video by Granville Gang member Max Lerner that he had made for the JDRF Children’s Congress.
In May, contacts were made and the Lerner family’s approval given.
On July 28, the Granville Gang received a phone call.
“They said, ‘Your date is Aug. 21,'” recalled Michelle Lerner, mother of Max, 10, and Julia, 14, both of whom have Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease formerly known as juvenile diabetes. Most often diagnosed in children and young adults, the chronic disease prevents the pancreas from producing the insulin required to control blood sugar levels.
It requires affected people to pay careful attention to their blood sugar levels and do daily injections of insulin.
“I’ve been living with this for almost 10 years now, and I don’t want to deal with it anymore,” said Julia, who is teaming up with Max and other members of the Gang to put on the “America’s Got Talent”-style fundraiser Aug. 21 in the Granville High School Performing Arts Center.
Officially titled “Cure-a-Palooza!,” the fundraiser invites locals to participate by singing, dancing or presenting other (non-dangerous) talents in front of a panel of judges yet to be named. Contestants will be divided into three age divisions: 10 and younger, 11-16 and 17 and older.
Audience admission is $4, and all proceeds will go toward JDRF.
The Granville Gang has distributed fliers throughout town, they said, and still have plenty of room for contestants. For additional publicity, Zohn will sell tickets to the event at the Granville Farmers Market on Aug. 20, the day before the show.
The group’s ultimate goal is to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes — and they’re hoping the star-studded event will boost local awareness.
“It’ll be cool, and it’ll help with the cure for diabetes,” Max said.
Granville Gang member Caden Smith, 8, also offered his encouragement for the community to attend: “They should come,” he said, “because I want a cure.”
Smith was the reason Granville Gang member Lexi Kunar, 13, participated in the JDRF walk one year before she, too, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Kunar and Julia Lerner will be participating in the talent show. From lacrosse to harp to football to karate, each member of the group participates in a number of school activities that, to a casual observer, make them appear no different from any other kid.
With the funds they hope to raise at the Aug. 21 event, that might one day be possible.
“They want a cure, and we want a cure for them,” Michelle Lerner said. “It’s part of their lives that other people don’t really understand.”
For advance tickets or more information about becoming a contestant in Cure-a-Palooza!, email cureapalooza@gmail.com or call (740) 258-8349.
