Thursday, April 18, 2013

Running

I think the entire world is aware of what happened in Boston. No need to explain. I'm sad about it. A lot of people are, even if they were not directly effected by it. I did not know of anyone at the Boston Marathon, but the images are horrifying and I can't help but feel emotional. I think when something like this happens, an act of terrorism, I am effected more than I would be from something like a shooting, whether it be multiple victims or just one.

I commend the people who were first responders. I honesly don't know how I would react in that situation. Would I run to help or would I run away? I hope I never find out. I hope I'd be a person to run and help, but I just don't know. Fear changes things. REAL fear.

As we all know there were 3 deaths. It's amazing to me that there weren't more. But 178 people were injured. These aren't minor injuries either, many of these people lost limbs and/or had debris in them. As many as 10, 20, 30, 40 pieces of debris. It's almost unthinkable. People will remember this event as vividly as we remember 9/11. Terror does that to people.

Recently I signed up to run a 5k and I am not even a runner. I am not even in any kind of shape to run. But I was pretty much asked (indirectly) to run and I was also (indirectly) asked to be a Captain of the AmeriFace team. I am an active volunteer for AmeriFace, I am a Pathfinder Coordinator for the Chicagoland area. AmeriFace was there for me when my son Jesse was young and I had a hard time dealing with his cleft situation. Once I got myself together, I became a volunteer so I could help others like they helped me. How could I NOT volunteer for the 5k? It will help the organization I feel most passionate about and this is for my son. I will do this, I CAN do this. Since Monday's events in Boston, I feel even more passionate about doing this run. I want to run for AmeriFace, but I also want to run for the people who were in Boston and CAN'T run anymore.

Unfortunately it takes events like this to appreciate the things we have. Our freedom, our loved ones, our health, our able bodies. I may not be the healthiest person, but I can get out there and give it my all, and I plan to do so.
"The mission of AmeriFace is to provide information and emotional support to individuals with facial differences and their families and increase public understanding through awareness programs and education.

We support individuals whose facial differences are present at birth, as well as those who have acquired facial differences as a result of illness, disease or trauma, such as stroke, cancer, accident and burns."


Please join me on July 6, 2013 in the Color Vibe 5k by registering at the links below. If you don't want to run (or walk) and would like to support me, you can make a donation to the AmeriFace team by visiting this link. Team AmeriFace there's a box that says, "Team AmeriFace Color Vibe 5K"


Join Team AmeriFace at the Color Vibe 5K in Chicago-Aurora!
http://www.thecolorvibe.com/aurora.php
Register NOW at https://colorvibe.webconnex.com/aurora2013
Choose "Team AmeriFace"
Password "smile"
Charity Code 32-0085490

Be sure to let us know you've joined the team at
http://www.teamameriface.org/join.html


Then download the Sponsorship Packet at
http://www.teamameriface.org/FUNdraising.html


Thank you for your support!

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