Jesse Schimmer's Fundraising Page
Hi Everyone. Thank you for visiting my page for the 2010 Boston Marathon that I'm running for Team Hoyt.
Please donate to this cause. No amount of money is too small. You can donate online by clicking the “donate now” button or send me a check. Please make checks payable to "The Hoyt Foundation" and send them to me at 5723 Tulip Drive, Allentown, PA 18104.
I visited Team Hoyt's website (www.teamhoyt.com) by chance after recalling a conversation that I had with my wife some time ago. Knowing that I am into endurance sports, my wife Janene said, "Babe, there is a guy who tows his son, who has cerebral palsy, in a boat while he swims during triathlons." I'm close to my Dad so I had to check this out. I thought “this has to be the ultimate father-son story.” So I went to the Team Hoyt website and was absolutely floored. Actually, I sat in my office at work watching the "redeemer lives" video and tried to fight the tears so my colleagues wouldn't see. For those of you who haven't seen the video, go to the Team Hoyt website after you donate and watch that video. You'll know where my heart is and you’ll know why I felt that way.
As a young physical therapist, I worked in pediatrics with children with cerebral palsy. The kids whom I worked with amazed me. They laughed, joked, and tried so hard in our PT sessions. They tried so, so hard. They never let physical impairments get in the way of anything. It was almost like they had more insight to life than I did; like the physical impairments unclouded the barrier of "can't." When I researched the Hoyt Foundation more, I realized that Rick has the same spirit, the same heart that my patients did. Like I helped early in my career, I felt the overwhelming desire to help people with cerebral palsy again.
I'm asking you to donate to this cause by sponsoring me for the Boston Marathon this year. I have to raise a lot of money in a short period of time. I don't know how I'm going to do it. I'm afraid to fail, but Dick and Rick have shown me and the world that ANYTHING can be done if you want it bad enough, and I want to help Team Hoyt badly.
This team and foundation, The Hoyt Foundation, is everything that I value in life and every example that I want to be. It's a father's love for his son and son's love for his father. It's people helping people. It's help for persons with cerebral palsy and physical impairments. It's expanding the limits of the norm. It's love for sport. It's participation in endurance sports. It's a disregard of barriers. It’s perseverance and a NEVER QUIT attitude.
Throughout my day at work as a physical therapist and throughout my life, I try to live the values of the Hoyt Foundation and Rick and Dick Hoyt. I try to help my fellow man and make a little difference in this big world. I'm proud to run for the Hoyt Foundation and I hope that you'll help me do that.
Thank you so much for your contributions, your support, and your belief in me and in the Hoyt Foundation. God bless you and God bless Team Hoyt.