Dear Family and Friends,

On April 14, 2010, ten Harvard University runners, myself included, have earned invitational charity entries to the 114th running of the Boston Marathon. We will be running in the name of our on-campus charity, the Phillips Brooks House Association, proudly wearing Harvard College Marathon Challenge shirts.

The Phillips Brooks House Association is a non-profit, student-run umbrella charity responsible for over seventy different programs benefiting the Greater Boston area. The Phillips Brooks House Association, or PBHA, has the largest student involvement of any group on Harvard’s campus. Since being founded in 1904, PBHA has expanded operations in over seventy community programs that benefit nearly 10,000 people in the Greater Boston area. Nonetheless PBHA holds a special personal connection to me. Since my first semester at Harvard I have volunteered for the Boston Refugee Youth Enrichment program, or BRYE. One a week, I along with a group of other students travel to Dorchester, where we do 1 on 1 tutoring/mentoring, developing a tailored curriculum catered towards each of our student’s academic improvements. For the entirety of last year, I worked with an eight year old girl named Aminata who had recently moved from Cape Verde to Dorchester, solely focusing on reading and writing improvement. While her multiplication skills were steadily up to par, it was so rewarding to help her grammar and writing improve tenfold throughout the year. This year, I work with Vietnamese brother and sister Loi and Xuan, ages ten and six, who have only been living in the United States since mid-summer. The experience working with these underprivileged students, who may or may not (sometimes depending on the day, or family situations at home) be interested in learning, is a wonderful challenge. However, the reward for both those I tutor and myself when academic improvements occur as a result of invested time and interest is simply irreplaceable. I am running the Boston Marathon for students like Aminata, Loi, Xuan, and countless others who benefit from PBHA programs such as BRYE.

Since Harvard College Marathon Challenge began in 2005, Harvard runners like myself have raised over $160,000 in support of PBHA, and we are hoping to continue to serve this organization that continually has a positive impact on the lives of so many.  The great opportunities that exist through programs such as BRYE evidence the strength of PBHA and prove what an impact this money raised by Harvard’s marathon runners truly makes.

I have an ambitious fundraising goal: I am looking to raise $2,000 for Phillips Brooks House Association, and I would greatly appreciate any contribution. There are two ways to donate: (1) writing a check to me or to Harvard College Marathon Challenge, or (2) contributing--right here--online at this website! Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts.

Thank you so much for considering sponsoring me -- every little bit helps! Running the Boston Marathon will allow me not only to raise funds for such a wonderful cause, but also to grow as a person and to accomplish something I wouldn't have thought possible just a few months ago. While my training for this 26.2 mile race is already underway, I am exciting that my fund raising goals will soon be underway as well!

Thank you again for all of your support! 

Cara