On November 12-13, 2011, in Fountain Hills, AZ, I will run the Javelina Jundred, a 100-mile endurance run, as a fundraiser for the Gold Hill Skate Park, a project in memory of our late son Tom Fish.
Tom was an avid skateboarder and had lived almost all of his 27 years in the small town of Gold Hill, so a skate park in that city seemed like a memorial that he would have appreciated. As it happened, the master plan for Gold Hill's beautiful sports park on the Rogue River already provided for such a park, and Jan and I were able to get the city's approval to launch the project, on a site covering up to 10,000 square feet . We were also fortunate in getting the fundraising for the project under the umbrella of the Gold Hill Community Development Organization (Can-Do), a 501-C-3 organization.
The total cost of the park is estimated at around $134,000. Donations from family, friends, and other interested people so far have raised about $30,000 and we have also received grants from the Tony Hawk Foundation ($10,000) and the Chaney Family Foundation ($5,000). Through the City of Gold Hill, we will be applying for a grant early next year from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which we hope will enable us to start construction in the spring of 2012.
This website is a means of bringing this project to those who may wish to contribute for a variety of reasons: because they knew and loved Tom; because they know me and Jan; because they want to support skateboarding; because they want to do something for kids in Gold Hill; because they love the great sport of ultrarunning, or just because they couldn't believe this old geezer thought he had a chance to run 100 miles in 30 hours. Win, lose, or draw, I thank you for reading this, and assure you that your contribution will be appreciated. This event is to engage the support of the community, both in money and in energy. It is important to emphasize that every donation counts, no matter how small.
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for GOLD HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION! All donations made through this page are 100% tax-deductible, and will be for the exclusive use of the Gold Hill Skate Park project.
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!