Thank you for visiting our fundraising page!
So I’m going to do something kinda nuts for me. I’m committing to something I have no experience with…no practice at and not a lot confidence that I can complete it. I am going to do something I’ve never attempted before and had no reason to try. I’m going to test my patience, my tolerance for pain and my character. I’m going to want to give up. I’m going to need support.
I’m going to run a marathon in July (and Levi is going to do the the half) and we are doing it in honor of "Hannah" currently living at a group home run by Youth Homes.
We are doing it because we are in awe of what the kids at Youth Homes have to do to survive. They will need to wake up each morning and fight their urge to self medicate with drugs or alcohol. They will feel small and alone and need to build themselves up with little or no support from family. They will need to fight demons of past history from memories of abuse, neglect and family conflict. At age 4, 9, 15, 12, 17 ½ …they will need to overcome self abuse, self hatred, insecurity, chemical dependency, rape, incest, hunger, poverty, mental illness, ignorance, and negative role models that they happen to love deeply. And the amazing thing is they do overcome these things (or learn how to deal with them) with time, practice, self determination, love and support.
So, at age 37 I can no longer crack jokes about hitting my middle age years. After three kids, I have three real big reasons to get healthier. As I contemplate how hard it is to run 5 minutes in a row after a lifetime of never really (not kidding) exercising into a full sweat, I know it pales in comparison to what kids struggle with each day as they try to get healthier with the odds against them. Knowing the odds are against me too…no time, weak bodied and weaker mindset…I will do this, largely in part, because I know you (and Levi) will help me get it done. If I have your support, then these kids will have our support.
Levi has agreed to put his competitive nature aside and run (slow) with me the whole 13.1 miles. That in itself will be a big challenge for him! When I asked him if we should maybe do the impossible and sign up for the full, he looked at me like I may have been abducted by aliens and I actually saw him wonder who the hell was standing before him...so we will do the half. Afterall, if we did the full at my pace we might be coming into the finish past the kids bedtime so...
My Dad has offered to match the first $250 brought in so please donate what you can! This will really help get us to our goal of raising $3,000 for the kids at YHI.
Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.
Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
List of donors that gave offline to date (THANK YOU!!)
Jim and Priscilla Bell
Kay Hajek and Nate Anderson
Judy Wing
LEVI (best husband ever)