Hello my name is Hunter Meakin and I am a junior at Hopewell High School in Huntersville, North Carolina. I am writing about an exciting community fundraiser that I am chairing and want to ask you for your help and support. 

 

The community event is called Rivals for Respect or R2 and we are raising money for the Special Olympics. The event is a community walk from Hopewell High School to North Mecklenburg High School (our archrival), and will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Students, staff and families from both high schools will come together for a community walk and to raise awareness of the R-word campaign. This will be a great day for two archrivals to put their rivalries aside and come together as one community to raise money for the Special Olympics. 

 

Each school is represented by a team of organizers (that’s me), who will recruit captains to establish teams of students to participate in the walk. Each participant (organizers, captains, walkers) will ask for sponsors to support them in this walk. 

 

I would love to have your support as I organize and participate in this event. You can visit my website at www.firstgiving.com/HunterMeakin to make a tax deductible donation. If you would prefer to make a direct donation you can give me a check made payable to the Special Olympics of North Carolina. Our goal is for every participant to raise $200.00. 

 

While our goal is to raise money we are also trying to raise awareness of the R-word campaign that is being promoted by the Special Olympics. The R-word Campaign is a campaign to educate and raise the consciousness of the public to the discriminatory and harmful impact of the use of the R-word. The outcome of a successful campaign would be the elimination of the pejorative use of the word retard (or comparable word in different cultures) from use in everyday speech, and more importantly, an accepting and inclusive world for people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

 

I feel blessed to have this opportunity to organize and participate in this event that will raise much needed money for the Special Olympics. I hope you will support this journey of acceptance and opportunity for children and adults with intellectual disabilities

 

Thanks in advance for your help and support. 

 

Hunter Meakin