Running For Charity/ Greed in Society

"The Life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service" -Longfellow

Running for Charity

I received an email last week asking me what does it feel like to be constantly running for charity? Its something that I can't really answer with one main sentence. Over the years it has been amazing. I started running for sick children, friends, etc. It gave me inspiration in my running and it gave them a warm feeling that someone is there for them. It certainly isn't easy because your constantly pushing and trying to lead by example. I am no speedster but I give it all I got for charity off that line until I cant go anymore. I am the same way in my training. The mental aspect is the hardest part of it all and trying to stay focused.

Greed in Society

At least once a week I hear from someone quoting the same stuff as always, "the economy is the reason etc..." Yet many times these same people that quote such things are ones that fit into the alarming statistics of greed in our society. I encourage any of you to go to a life of charity and see what it is like for just 90 days. Below are some of the alarming stats of our, "poverty stricken country." I am no rich man but I can't see having 3-4 cars, 5 flatscreens like many of the stats show and then complain about being in poverty. One site actually claims that most americans eat out 3-5 times per week. WOW! That used to be us a couple years ago I bet.

US STATS Per Household

2.28 Cars per household
35% of Americans maintain 3-4 cars
66% of American Homes have 3 or more TV sets
56% of Americans Pay for Cable TV (Why?)
62 Million Americans Have a internet connected computer



Many of these households still obtain these goods while losing their homes:

"U.S. banks repossessed nearly 258,000 homes nationwide in the first quarter of 2010, a 35 percent jump from the first quarter of 2009"

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/50-statistics-about-the-us-economy-that-are-almost-too-crazy-to-believe-2010-6#us-banks-repossessed-nearly-258000-homes-nationwide-in-the-first-quarter-of-2010-a-35-percent-jump-from-the-first-quarter-of-2009-21#ixzz0rJn6HhHt

More stats on the average US Household

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/01/04/how-the-average-american-family-spends-their-income-and-how-to-trim-it/

Recources

http://www.autospies.com/

http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html

http://maisonbisson.com/blog/post/11088/us-census-on-internet-access-and-computing/

Special Thanks To All

"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." ~David Brinkley

A Special Thanks To All

It has been a while since I have written at the blog. I wanted to take the time not only to start up again, but thank all those who have given their time and efforts in the past week. Mike Murray would like to thank all of you who came out and did the torch run in Auburn. A special thanks to my wife and Wendy for sticking it out and getting it done.

Relay 4 Cancer Research

I want to thank all of you who came out and did the relay and for those of you who were waiting at the finish. I want to thank Molly-English Bowers, Jeremy West, Dan Townsend, Michael Demming, Michael Emmart, Karen Foos, Chris Mason, Patrick Redmond, and Meghan Simmonds for running. I want to thank the Emmart Family for their continued support for the entire weekend. We would have never made it without you. I want to thank Sam Tenney for joining the relay and YNN news for their wonderful coverage throughout the day. Bing part of a team that raised $40,000 to kick cancer was memorable. A big thanks to Relay for life and the American Cancer Society for letting us do what we knew we could get done! Thank you all! If anyone hasn't seen the news article, click below:

http://centralny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/507054/marathon-kicks-off-relay-for-life/

Monkey Gras 2010

Monkey Gras was quite an experience. Many changes and because we had a great team, we prevailed. It was fun and all the children that attended had a blast. Next year the event will be at one venue only! I want to thank all of the volunteers for being there. We needed every person we could get. A special thanks to the Emmart family again for their support! Thank you Emmart kids for being so animated and helping out! You guys rock! Thanks to Mike "Captain Snowcone" Emmart for slinging snow cones. He saved us with that venture. Thank you all for your help! Thanks to Sound Monkey Music in Auburn we were able to raise $1020 (before expenses) and it gave us the funds we need to move ahead to the next step in our process.

Thank All of you for your continued help and support! We will be having a board meeting on Monday June 14, 2010 at the Agricultural Museum by the lake. Go to the picnic table by the disc golf course. Thank you all and see you soon!

June is Run4Life Month

Run4Life in June

Us run4lifers have seemed to take over the community in the last month. I would like to thank all of you who helped out at the Herman Ave Walk-A-Thon on May 8th! Even though we had rough weather it was yet again another success. Those of you who made it out were cherished and are the prime reason it was a success.

Upcoming Events & Details:

June 2nd Special Olympics Run- Auburn

We are helping out the Special Olympics crew here in Auburn. You must be in the Topps Parking lot by 10:45am at the latest. If you are running and wanting a TORCH shirt it is a $20 donation. All proceeds go to Special Olympics for this run.

June 4th Run4life Relay for Relay for Life- Auburn

Yep it is a mouthful. We are running 26.23 miles to honor and kick off Relay for Life 2010. Relay for Life is a wonderful event that honors loved ones that we have lost due to cancer and those who have fought and won. We are honored to be able to run in and light a display to kick this event off! Special thanks to Suzanne Redmond for her help and support! All proceeds go to relay for life. Anyone wanting to support a team go here:

Suzanne Just lost her dad to cancer. I encourage anyone wanting to make a donation to make one here at their relay for life link: https://secure3.convio.net/tacs/site/Donation2?idb=1735618190&df_id=1007662&1007662.donation=form1&FR_ID=20729&PROXY_ID=3958511&PROXY_TYPE=20&JServSessionIdr004=5zmcl1cm42.app313b

June 5th Monkey Gras 2010- Auburn

Sound Monkey Music Presents Monkey Gras 2010. A family event starts at 1pm in the Auburn Parking garage. 3pm The Funky Blue Muskrats will play in the garage. 5pm The Auburn Public Theater opens its doors for the likes of Sho-Enuff, Kim Draheim, Stone Soul Foundation and Caustic. All Proceeds go to SPCA and Run4life groups. Tickets are $5 until June 3rd after that $7 at the door. Tickets available at Sound Monkey Music 12 South Street and Landers Chiropractic 72 South Street in Auburn. Proceeds go to SPCA and Therun4life.org

For more info go to http://www.monkeygras.webs.com

June 6th Tour De Cure for Diabetes Research

Braeden's teacher, Mrs. Suzanne Coffin will be doing Tour De Cure once again this year. If anyone is interested in supporting the team click below! She will be taking to the roads on June 6th!

CLICK HERE


http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/UpstateNYWNewEnglandArea?px=2877872&pg=personal&fr_id=6845&et=74Wo5uXM04ex7vHwUxe0MA..&s_tafId=367737


SIDE NOTE: RUN4LIFE BOARD MEETING MONDAY MAY 24TH DENNYS 6:30pm

Tour De Cure- Support Team Coffin

Braeden's teacher, Mrs. Suzanne Coffin will be doing Tour De Cure once again this year. If anyone is interested in supporting the team click below! She will be taking to the roads on June 6th!

CLICK HERE


http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/UpstateNYWNewEnglandArea?px=2877872&pg=personal&fr_id=6845&et=74Wo5uXM04ex7vHwUxe0MA..&s_tafId=367737

Goomba 4 a Cure

I applaud the efforts of the Goomba to run his first race in the upcoming race for a cure 2010!

Anyone wanting to sponsor his run go to:

http://centralnewyork.info-komen.org/site/TR/Events?px=7183336&pg=personal&fr_id=1648&s_src=boundlessfundraising&s_subsrc=646601841&refresh=1

New Monkey Gras Website

I sat down and created a new website for Monkey Gras 2010! This way we have a place to put information for the event!

go to http://www.monkeygras.webs.com

Special Thanks to the Goomba

Well it has been a while since I did my daily blog. Life took many twists and turns. Over the last year I found myself trying to recover from many things. The car accident issues and many issues with groups that just don't help people like they should. I can say even though I am busier life and the blog is getting back on track.

Special Thanks to the Goomba

Even though the newspaper did that story on my recovery and how I ran hurt trying to get back this winter. One thing many people didn't realize the toll it took on me mentally. I had just about had enough when the Goomba came along. Almost two weeks ago I brought back the run4life training program. It's a program that pays homage to the teachings of Kevin Collins and Jeremy West. Two guys I really admire. Here we are in week #2 and I am seeing Mike run and feel better. He has that enthusiasm I had when I started and look where that took me. I was taken to many great places and a wall ful of medals and memories later! So I thank you Goomba for getting me back out there! I look forward to many great runs this year!

Twinkie & The Goomba

When I was in my phase of not running I had joked to Mike that I was eating twinkies and drinking soda. So Mike starting calling me, "Twinkie!" Mike started a group on facebook called "Fat Goomba to 5k!" So I created the new Twinkie & The Goomba site and blog! (thanks Jodi for the inspiration!)

It will be links to all our sites, updates and weekly blog updates. You will also be able to see the training program and follow along with us!

Go to http://www.twinkiegoomba.weebly.com