By Daily Press staff
Sonki Hong, founder of Sonki Fitness, has been selected to lead thousands of people during the warm-up session for Saturday’s Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk at USC.
Memory Walk takes place in more than 500 communities nationwide and since 1989 has raised more than $120 million. It is the largest fund-raising event for Alzheimer’s disease.
“Alzheimer’s disease affects over 4 million Americans and many things about the disease remain a mystery,” said Hong, a master fitness trainer certified through the U.S. Military Academy. “I’m honored to be part of this wonderful event that raises money to help those with this disease, their families and caregivers.”
Some of the celebrity hosts of Memory Walk include: David Hyde Pierce (Frasier); Shelley Fabares (Coach); Steve Edwards (KTTV’s Good Day LA and Memory Walk emcee); Victor Garber (Alias); Hector Elizondo (Chicago Hope) and Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue).
The Sonki Fitness Team, who recently raised the most amount of money by any team at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life race in Santa Monica, will try to match that feat again at Memory Walk.
In addition to his five World Fitness championships, Hong is a top graduate in physical fitness from West Point, a Presidential Fitness Award recipient and an Academic All American. He has trained at the U.S. Air Assault School, where he graduated at the top of his class with distinguished honors, the U.S. Airborne School and the U.S. Army Intelligence School.
“We are thrilled that Sonki will be with us to help prepare and motivate the walkers for our signature event,” said Pam Kile, Memory Walk team coordinator.
To register for Memory Walk, visit www.alzla.org/mw or call (323) 930-6228. Or, send the $30 registration fee to Alzheimer’s Association L.A. Memory Walk, P.O. Box 828, Rialto, Calif., 92377 along with your name, address, city, state, zip and daytime phone number. Everyone who raises $50 or more receives a Memory Walk T-shirt. Late registration is available at the walk.
Sonki Fitness is a Santa Monica fitness company with one basic goal in mind: To get people in the best shape of their life. It offers a variety of fitness programs including individual and group training, boot camp classes, corporate training and fitness vacation packages.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 2, 2003. Read the original PDF.