Well-known Northeast Ohio radio and TV personality Les Levine is the honorary chair of the fourth annual Moving Day Cleveland Walk for Parkinson’s on June 22.
The event is from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Wade Oval in University Circle. Last year’s event drew more than 850 people.
Levine, 72, has been a fixture in NEO media since 1970. A graduate of Brush High School, he grew up in South Euclid and graduated from The Ohio State University. He eventually landed in Kent, where he became local sales manager and sports director of what later became WNIR.
Levine covered more than 100 games a year on radio until 1979, when he moved to WSLR and WKDD. During that time, he covered Kent State basketball and football games and Cleveland Crusader hockey on Akron Cable TV. Later, he hosted More Sports & Les Levine on WERE, and then moved to WHK, where he anchored the new sports station.
When WHK changed the format, he moved the show to Fox Sports Ohio. Since 1996, MS&LL has been seen on six different cable stations, and now on Cleveland.com. Levine also is on the sports talk lineup of 92.3 The Fan.
Levine says he went to a physician for back issues in December 2017. The doctor asked him how long he had Parkinson’s — a diagnosis he had never received. After more appointments, the diagnosis was confirmed in April 2018.
Levine said that with a combination of medications and exercises, including boxing, his Parkinson’s symptoms are in check. While Levine has noticed that he has slowed down a bit, he compensates by giving himself more time to get ready for his day. He has no plans to retire. He and his wife, Allison, have been married for 20 years. Between them, they have four children and five grandchildren.
Each year, about 60,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Moving Day events include a movement tent with demonstrations on physical therapy techniques, rock steady boxing and Reiki. The mission tent offers information and handouts about Parkinson’s. Children can enjoy the Kid Zone and walk around the Oval with friends and family.
To get involved and to register a team, go to movingdaycleveland.org.
