The Phillies continue their mission to raise awareness for ALS on Friday, when they celebrate Lou Gehrig Day at Citizens Bank Park.

The team has a 37-year relationship with The ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia, making the group its primary charity in 1984. The Phillies have raised nearly $20 million in that time, mostly through its annual Phillies Phestival. One cannot think about the Phestival or the Phillies’ commitment to ALS awareness without thinking of David Montgomery, the beloved former Phillies president who died in May 2019 following a five-year battle with jawbone cancer.

Montgomery famously treated everybody who worked at the Phillies as a valued family member. He held the organization’s relationship with The ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia in the same regard.

Montgomery got choked up talking about that relationship during a luncheon at Center City hotel in Nov. 2014. He was on medical leave at the time, but he could not stay away from an event that celebrated their 30-year anniversary.

“The emotion is really the commitment of so many people from our organization,” Montgomery said. “This thing just keeps living.”

Scheduled events on Friday include:

• Retired Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Schretzman will be on hand for the ceremonial first pitch. Schretzman is a Philadelphia resident who was diagnosed with ALS six months after retiring from the Army.

• Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola and Phillies icon Larry Bowa will be featured in a PhanaVision video before the game. They will discuss their personal connections to the cause and their involvement with the Phillies Phestival throughout the years. Nola talked in September about his uncle, who recently passed away, following a battle with ALS.

• The Phillies will wear a special uniform decal and red “4-ALS” wristbands to honor the Lou Gehrig Day initiative.

• Autographed Phillies memorabilia will be available to purchase as grab bags for $20 throughout the entire weekend.

• Fans can participate in the Phillies Charities 50/50 Drawing, with proceeds benefiting The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia.

• Fans can bid on experiences and memorabilia at the Phantastic Auction, a Phillies.com event. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the ALS cause.

For more information, visit Phillies.com.