Only Two Weeks Left!

Only Two Weeks Left

Only two weeks left to sign your child up for Trick R' Trot 2010! Registration closes on October 14th at midnight. This is in order to give us time to update databases and test for our first timed race on our own. Let's keep momentum going to beat childhood obesity!

Anyone that wants to register go to http://www.therun4life.org

DONATE TODAY

Also we are very short on funds as we do not have grants. Every little bit helps. Go to http://www.active.com/donate/therun4life




Every little bit helps! Thank You!

Share Your Toys / Found Money Interview

Share Your Toys

We are taught as children to share our toys, books and other personal belongings that we have. I remember being a child and always giving away my stuff to others. Some times to the point where they kept on taking and I had no idea. I have remained the same way as an adult. Heck they say people never change. You are a product of your environment. I was hoping we can change this environment we are in. Everyone gives excuses of the economy not to give fiscally. That I get. Where society has changed is in a recent interview I did.

Money Interviews

Recently I was at a public event where I found some money on the ground. I knocked on car windows in the area and asked people if it was theirs. They looked puzzled. Many told me, "Ah heck if that was me I would just keep my mouth shut!" Is this what we have become? A culture of take what we can get and give little? I was a bit shocked by that. I'm not perfect by any means but I was always told to do the right thing. One woman asked me, "haven't you been working here all day?" I said, "Yes." She asked, "Do you get paid?" I said, "no, I do it for free." She said consider it payment. That one I thought was funny." But out of the 10 or so people I talked to 90% was pretty darn cold about it. Thanks society.

Don't Almost Give

I was recently on the site http://www.dontalmostgive.org A great site with wonderful information. So my thoughts today I guess are share your toys, don't lose your money on the ground, and don't almost give!

Best Wishes

Vin Gleason
Executive Director of Therun4life.org

Take the Sand Out of Your Shoe

"Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out, it's the grain of sand in your shoe." -RS

Take the Sand Out of Your Shoe

That statement is so true. I have climbed many mountains in my day whether with the children or with running. It was never the climb that tired me, it was the constant training for the climb that did me in. The same thing with charity work. I had a couple weeks where between grad school and the charity I put in a 70+ hour week. It was rewarding with a sense of getting things done for a better tomorrow but the paycheck was around $20 for the week. Very humbling.

Many people ask me on a weekly basis what is it like to create an event? I say its pretty similar to running with sand in your shoe. You try so hard to make a difference. You stick to your guns and you stay with your mission. I am trying to create these events for children and take the smoking and alcohol out of the events. That is why I support the Tobacco Free Coalition of Cayuga County.

Is it fair that many adults would rather go to a fundraiser at a bar or an alcohol related event? Rather then feature their child and teach them a life lesson in health? I have not been perfect this summer. Injuries finally got me down and took my steam and left me with two shoes full of sand. I would never take one step back though. I know I had great intentions just many times surrounded by those without such intentions.

So today I say take the sand out of your shoe! Remember our children learn from us. Let's create more events for them alone. Adults have enough events for our health(Some mask them as children events but they aren't) but how many do our children have? Very few. Thank you for your time and visit the links below.

If you want more events for your children, you have to help us today at http://www.active.com/donate/therun4life

or register your child for the new race, the Trick R' Trot 1 Miler at http://www.therun4life.org

-Vin
Executive Director and founder of Therun4life.org

The Bread in Your Cupboard

"The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has none; the money which you hoard in the bank belongs to the poor. You do wrong to everyone you could help, but fail to help." St. Basil the Great

The Bread in Your Cupboard

The quote above really has me thinking. I watch many local people in what seems like a drive to collect things. The more things the happier they are. I guess to each his own, but I always say if you have any leftover bread in your cupboard share it with those who need it. If all else fails feed the ducks.

In a world where divorce in on the rise, religion is on the decline, and many people seem to not believe in anything anymore? Why don't we believe anymore? When we were little we were head over heels about magical creatures and the first notion of giving?

We Were Born to Give

"Tangible evidence suggests that charitable giving makes people prosperous, healthy, and happy. And that on its own is a huge argument to protect institutions of giving in this country, as individuals, in communities, and as a nation. We simply do best, as a nation, when people are free and they freely give." (The Giving Gap -2006)

The majority of us Americans were shown how to give at an early age. Our first Christmas showed us how we share lots of cool things that we have with others. We get together and celebrate in the name of someone who gave life to show us the way. I don't know a lot about Hanukka but I can say that I bet there is some giving in there as well! We also have the Tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, Trick R' Treating etc. All institutions that support giving. So I ask you today to remember what it feels like growing up? Take a little, and give a lot!

-Vin Gleason is Executive Director of Therun4life.org
Online at http://www.therun4life.org

Missed Our First Goal/Trick R Trot

Missed Our First Goal

Well our goal was to be at 25% sponsorship or donations by midnight last night. We fell short at 18%. This is the first goal I have ever missed in three years. We've helped so many in the community and it is really humbling to me to want to keep bringing new events while never having the funds to do so. I want to thank all of you that have supported us over the years. We have 5 weeks left till race day so we still have a shot to hit our overall goal of raising $2000 by Nov 21st.

Trick R' Trot 2010

As many of you know that we created a new race called the Trick R' Trot run. It is a 1 mile run for 14 year old and under. The race will give many awards, trophies and a costume judging contest. We are hoping that this event grows as this year will be a smaller event. You can register or donate today by going to http://www.therun4life.org

Thank You for your time