~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEBRUARY 8, 2015
PATRICK SWEENEY RUNS ACROSS AMERICA FOR THE 100 MILE KIDS CLUB!
My amazing Mas Loco friend Patrick Sweeney is currently running across America! If you know Patrick, like most any Mas Loco he's a stand up guy. Down to earth, kind, and fun. Please follow his journey as he runs across America in support of the 100 Mile Kids Club and please consider a donation. And, if you have the means please run with him for a few or send a care package!
VIVA MAS LOCO!
Follow Pat here:
RUN WITH US AMERICA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
APRIL 3, 2012
TEAM HERO RUSH/FUNDRAISER FOR THE PERRY FIRE EXPLORERS
Motivated by an amazing group of kids and leaders I've been thinking for awhile now how I can get a fundraiser going. I was stumped, not really sure what would fit until I stumbled upon the Hero Rush! Think Warrior Dash Firefighter style. The Hero Rush is a 3-5 mile obstacle race created by real firefighters. What a perfect fit!! I called the Fire Department and told them my idea and got the green light! I am putting together a team for the Hero Rush in an effort to raise money for the Fire Explorers. Some of the Fire Explorers will be on the team. We will all be paying our own entry fees, so all that is donated less Active.com's transaction fee (think similar to credit card transaction fees) will be going to the Perry Fire Explorers. Word on the street - the real firefighters are creating a team as well! LET'S BATTLE!!! If you'd like to join the team please let me know. All I ask is that you spread the word about our fundraiser via social media. It's that simple! We've already raised $585 so far and the Hero Rush isn't until July! Please join our team or help by donating! These kids don't have to pay to attend the Fire Explorers program, and in the program the youth learn things such as EMT skills, fire safety, perform fire drills, learn all the ins and outs of the fire station and fire trucks, and search and rescue drills. Higher level Explorers also have the opportunity to go on ride alongs. Assistance is also given to the Fire Explorers on how to prepare for their career. Please help if you can! The kids really have appreciated all donations thus far and are pumped!
Donate here:
http://www.active.com/donate/pfdexplorers
Or join our team here:
Team Perry Fire Explorers
Hero Rush Video Preview:
http://www.herorush.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FRIDAY MARCH 9, 2012
CLEVELAND SCHOOLS SHOE DRIVE
I'm not even sure where to begin for this one! This was an incredible experience and really showed the power of the internet. I guess I'll just start from the top.
#1 A copy of an email was put on the NERC facebook page. The email was from Rob Mathis, a parent of kids who attended the schools. The email:
I know everyone is busy getting ready for the running season ahead but I need your help. My daughter runs for Rhodes high school and my son runs for East Tech ( both inner city high schools). They both had their very first track meets today. I thank God that I am very fortunate enough to be able to buy them shoes to run in. It made me feel bad to see the ...other kids from both high schools (girls & boys) running in boots and basketball shoes. If any of you have any old running shoes that you do not have a need for, please email me back with a location I can pick them up from. I will donate them to Rhodes and East Tech high school to help out the kids. It doesn't matter how old or dirty they are.
#2. So after seeing this I set up a group fun run on facebook to collect shoes from whoever wanted to donate. I figured I'd get maybe 10 people tops to show up to the run - but there were many more than that! There were also those who expressed the desire to donate their shoes, but couldn't make it to the run since it was scheduled so last minute. Thanks to my friend Emily these people were able to drop their shoes off at the Bicycle Hub in Mentor. This saved me so much running around and I was REALLY REALLY grateful :)
#3. I also sent an email out to my coworkers and to my running group at work explaining the situation. Thanks to my friend Joe Vasil's help the fitness centers at work put out a collection box, and at the end of the drive I picked up these shoes (LOTS!) Joe also told his wife about the shoes, who told her coworkers, one of which was a graduate of Rhodes school - one of the schools we were collecting for. This graduate (anonymous) then pledged to buy the entire Rhodes track team BRAND NEW SHOES!! UNREAL!! I started crying at work when I got the email. (yes I'm a softie haha)
#4. Fox 8 news heard of the shoe drive and the run and came out! Me, Rob, and Joe all got interviewed before the run. I was so nervous! But I did calm down a little as one of my friends (I will not mention who Mike Shaughnessy) started shakin' his butt behind the camera! (Then I was just worried about not laughing!) I heard when it aired it was a nice piece, but I haven't seen it as we no longer have cable (no not even basic). I also heard there were more requests for shoes, and Rob states that now he'll be able to help 5 or 6 schools. (And I still have TONS of "surprise" shoes that I picked up to give to him!)
#5. Finally I contacted my bud Steve over at Vertical Runner to see if we could get a possible discount for this anonymous donor. Of course he and Vince agreed! (And I recently saw the invoice for the shoes - it was an ENORMOUS discount). Vertical Runner took their inventory and went straight to Rhodes. This was really great they could accommodate the students by going out there like that! I saw some pictures of the kids and it looked like they were excited and had a good time. By the time it was all said and done this anonymous donor bought 40 pairs of shoes for these kids. UNREAL!
In conclusion, this experience was incredibly overwhelming to me. Just using the internet made so many people aware of an issue, and take action. All these people who donated their shoes, time, and money simply amaze me! People are really truly extraordinary, and I thank everyone so much who participated. I'm still trying to grasp how everyone came together to help these kids - so much so that other schools will be helped too. INCREDIBLE!! THANK YOU EVERYONE! And of course,
Happy Running!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOVEMBER 22, 2011
THE JOA MOVING SPIRIT
TEAM
I'm proud to be a part of a newly formed team, team JOA Moving Spirit as a
coach and pacer! We are currently looking for both runners and volunteer
coaches/pacers to join the team - so read up!
One of my running friends, local runner Joe Vasil goes to church with a
young boy (John Owen) and his family. 
John has a fatal disease, Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
Joe and John:
DMD
progressively wastes muscle and causes muscle weakness. It begins with
microscopic changes in the muscle. As muscles degenerate over time, the boy's
muscle strength diminishes. With DMD, ultimately the heart muscle will stop
working.
John has a fatal disease, Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)Joe and John:
Touched by the family Joe wanted to contribute and has done INCREDIBLE things already! His latest contribution to JOA is creating the "Moving Spirit" team. This team will help derail DMD together at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. One goal is to have Team Moving Spirit runners in each distance - the 10k, 1/2 marathon, and full marathon. Training starts January 1 2012! There will be plenty of support through the team's expert coaches! If you need some motivation to get into running further distances, or are just unsure of where to start join team Moving Spirit!
All the training you need to complete this amazing journey will be provided. We ask that you commit to training with the $50 entrance fee, which will cover your race day shirt and other miscellaneous expenses. We encourage you to take part in fundraising efforts where your friends and family sponsor the steps you will take to derail duchenne. Race fees will be covered with $1,000 raised in fundraising efforts. You will be given you all the tools you need to help with your fundraising efforts.
This is a perfect way to jump into a new distance. With so much support and running for a great cause, your experience will be nothing short of phenomenal - I promise you that!
The goal of John Owen's Adventure is to put $150,000 in the hands of Scientists searching for a treatment of DMD. Let's help find a cure for John and the 500,000 other boys suffering from DMD.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2011
FORBES HOUSE DONATIONS
Big thanks to all my friends and co workers who donated to the Forbes House! October was Domestic Violence Awareness month and the Forbes House is a shelter for battered women and children. Their mission:
"To relieve the trauma resulting from domestic violence, to assure access to safe and caring environments for its victims, and to foster an end to domestic violence through education, prevention, and advocacy".
I'm so grateful for all my friends, the donations filled my entire trunk and the entire back of my car. I've got a few more things left to take down there and that's it! Forbes House is an organization close to my family's heart, and we appreciate all your help!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JUNE 26, 2011
The Impossible2Possible 6 Hour Fun Run Fundraiser!!
Ok people, I've created a fundraiser with a suggested minimum donation of $15. No goody bags here, I'm sorry - but I will have food (a little) and lots of I2P prizes to raffle off. Here's the deal - a great idea thanks to Mike Nicholson. Each loop you do gets you a ticket. The more loops, the more tickets. After all is said and done the tickets go into a hat and names are drawn. They will be drawn until all prizes are gone. We have SUCH awesome things thanks to Bob Cox and Ray Zahab of Impossible2Possible. Hoodies, tech t's, tech tanks, tshirts, stickers, patches - you name it.
We have a few people signed up already, so hurry up! The event will be held at Indian Point in Leroy, Ohio. Anyone who wants to chill at our house the night before can do so. You can crash on our floor our outside in tents, we are 5 minutes from the starting location. All proceeds go directly to I2P via Activegiving.com. 100% to the organization! Sign up today, it's for a great cause and you'll be running and/or walking with some pretty fantastic people. Remember there are no DNF's - it's just all about how many loops you can do in 6 hours. Hope to see you all there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOVEMBER 8, 2010
AUTUMN LEAVES 5 MILER: A VOLUNTEER'S PERSPECTIVE
This past weekend was the Northeast Running
Club's Autumn Leaves 5 mile run. One of the best runs of the Grand Prix series,
it's usually held the first Sunday of November. My husband and I attended this
year not as runners but as volunteers, my son however did do the run. (Last year
at Autumn Leaves was he was conquering his longest distance yet!)
The day before the run my son and I went to the Farmpark to help set things up. We wound up helping set things up inside - and the manly men went off to mark the trail. ;-)
Two awesome ladies were there to help out also, Edie and Carole.
Edie got to run, too!
I swear Carole's vounteered at every NERC race I've ever been to!
We got done in a fairly decent amount of time and just chatted away the rest of the time. Take that manly men! HA! Acutally, the men did have to be pretty manly out there marking the trail. The Northeast Ohio snow machine switch got flipped to "on" and it stayed like that the whole time they were out on the course.
They were met with mud, snow, cowpies - all of it. From time to time some of the guys would come in looking completely frazzled. They would warm up for a minute, then go right back outside. Thanks men!
Race day came and over 215 people had already registered. What happened next was quite unexpected. There were TONS of people who came in to register same day. The total number of people who finished on race day came out to be 281. WOW!
Our fearless race director Mark Anson took it pretty well! My husband and I helped inside for a bit and chatted with a few friends. Right before the race was set to begin we went outside for our outdoor volunteer duties.
Lining up at the start:
I hung out at the mile #2 calling out times as people ran by, and my husband was a flagger. It was neat being able to see my son in the middle of the race, and all of my friends as well! In between calling out the times I took pics of the runners. Then, when the last of the runners came through my spot I headed towards the finish line to take more pics. Soon I saw my son speed through - he ended with a strong finish. He improved so much from last year's time, I'm proud of him! Last year he ran Autumn Leaves with a time of 54 minutes and 53 seconds. This year his final time was 42 minutes and 45 seconds. WOW! I shouldn't be surprised because his improvement is equivalent to this year's improved cross country times - but it's always amazing to see such big gaps in time like that.
(Yes he's overdressed, and yes I knew better (from a runner's perspective) but hey - I'm a mom! He's lucky I didn't have him go out looking like that kid off the Christmas Story!)
The awards ceremony came off without a hitch, I helped Mark pass out a few awards towards the end, and what awesome awards they were!
I want one!
I'm a big fan of useful awards at races - because you can only have so many medals, and what are they good for really? They just hang there, collecting dust.
Guy Gadomski provided the hot cocoa for the
mugs. Thanks Guy!
One last thing, the pictures I took are available free of charge (almost)at WalMart.com. You just have to pay for whatever Wal Mart charges to print the pictures out. Go to the following link to view and purchase:
http://photos2.walmart.com/walmart/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4300487002/a=15094613_15094613/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=walmart/
Prints start out at 10 cents each.
Thanks to all the runners who came out, and to all of the volunteers as well. It was a great time, hopefully everyone got EXTREMELY muddy, and we'll see you again next year!
Jean Toth - The only 70 & over female runner!
Lone runner headed into the corn field.
The day before the run my son and I went to the Farmpark to help set things up. We wound up helping set things up inside - and the manly men went off to mark the trail. ;-)
Two awesome ladies were there to help out also, Edie and Carole.
Edie got to run, too!
I swear Carole's vounteered at every NERC race I've ever been to!
We got done in a fairly decent amount of time and just chatted away the rest of the time. Take that manly men! HA! Acutally, the men did have to be pretty manly out there marking the trail. The Northeast Ohio snow machine switch got flipped to "on" and it stayed like that the whole time they were out on the course.
They were met with mud, snow, cowpies - all of it. From time to time some of the guys would come in looking completely frazzled. They would warm up for a minute, then go right back outside. Thanks men!
Race day came and over 215 people had already registered. What happened next was quite unexpected. There were TONS of people who came in to register same day. The total number of people who finished on race day came out to be 281. WOW!
Our fearless race director Mark Anson took it pretty well! My husband and I helped inside for a bit and chatted with a few friends. Right before the race was set to begin we went outside for our outdoor volunteer duties.
Lining up at the start:
I hung out at the mile #2 calling out times as people ran by, and my husband was a flagger. It was neat being able to see my son in the middle of the race, and all of my friends as well! In between calling out the times I took pics of the runners. Then, when the last of the runners came through my spot I headed towards the finish line to take more pics. Soon I saw my son speed through - he ended with a strong finish. He improved so much from last year's time, I'm proud of him! Last year he ran Autumn Leaves with a time of 54 minutes and 53 seconds. This year his final time was 42 minutes and 45 seconds. WOW! I shouldn't be surprised because his improvement is equivalent to this year's improved cross country times - but it's always amazing to see such big gaps in time like that.
(Yes he's overdressed, and yes I knew better (from a runner's perspective) but hey - I'm a mom! He's lucky I didn't have him go out looking like that kid off the Christmas Story!)
The awards ceremony came off without a hitch, I helped Mark pass out a few awards towards the end, and what awesome awards they were!
I want one!
I'm a big fan of useful awards at races - because you can only have so many medals, and what are they good for really? They just hang there, collecting dust.
Guy Gadomski provided the hot cocoa for the
mugs. Thanks Guy!One last thing, the pictures I took are available free of charge (almost)at WalMart.com. You just have to pay for whatever Wal Mart charges to print the pictures out. Go to the following link to view and purchase:
http://photos2.walmart.com/walmart/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4300487002/a=15094613_15094613/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=walmart/
Prints start out at 10 cents each.
Thanks to all the runners who came out, and to all of the volunteers as well. It was a great time, hopefully everyone got EXTREMELY muddy, and we'll see you again next year!
Jean Toth - The only 70 & over female runner!
Lone runner headed into the corn field.
Future Autumn Leaves runner perhaps?
No comments:
Post a Comment