Honoring ALS Volunteers: Cory’s Story of Service and Family Legacy

Each year on December 5, we celebrate International Volunteer Day. A moment to honor the individuals and families who give their time, energy, and heart to causes that matter deeply. At ALS United Rocky Mountain, we are incredibly grateful for the volunteers who walk beside us in the fight against ALS.

Few stories represent this spirit better than Cory Portnuff’s. What began as a personal journey of love and loss has grown into a legacy of support, service, and now, generational impact. As we recognize International Volunteer Day, we’re proud to share Cory’s story as a reminder of how one person, and one family, can make a lasting difference.

In 2004, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon. That August, he prepared to move to Boulder to start his doctoral program in Audiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. His dad, Colin Portnuff, was so proud that Cory was going to graduate school and helped him pack the truck for his move. After it was packed but before Cory left, his dad broke the news that he had recently been diagnosed with ALS. He didn’t want Cory to change his plans because of his diagnosis, so he waited until Cory was fully packed before telling him the news.

For the next few years, Colin lived with ALS in their home in suburban Portland, Oregon. Colin, Laurie (Cory’s mother), and the rest of the family found ALS Northwest to be very supportive and helpful. They borrowed equipment, received support, and more. Colin’s friends and family took part in the Portland Walk to End ALS each year to show their support and raise funds.

While studying at CU Boulder, Cory visited home as often as he could. When he taught a disability class for CU undergraduates, Colin even came to share his experiences with adaptive technology for communication. Colin passed away from ALS complications in February 2007.

Cory began volunteering with ALS United Rocky Mountain in the fall of 2008. His apartment was just a few blocks from City Park, where the walk took place that year. Cory isn’t sure if he simply walked over on the morning of the walk and offered to volunteer or if he signed up beforehand, but after that first morning, he became a regular at the ALS United office. It was easier since he lived just a few blocks from their old office above the Irish Snug on Colfax. He occasionally delivered supplies to newly diagnosed patients. He also started volunteering at the walks each fall and at other events, such as our ALS Sunset Gala. He has kept volunteering ever since. Last year, his daughter volunteered at the walk for the first time, in her grandfather’s memory!

Cory’s commitment to the ALS community, from delivering supplies to newly diagnosed families to volunteering at events year after year, is a beautiful tribute to his father’s memory and to the thousands of others affected by ALS. Now, with his daughter joining the effort, their story is a powerful reminder that volunteering is more than just giving time… It’s passing on hope.

On this International Volunteer Day, we celebrate Cory and every volunteer who helps us bring compassion, connection, and care to those living with ALS. Thank you for standing with us, petal by petal, step by step, memory by memory.