Pelotonia 09

I just received this email from a friend, hero and FD Alum. Another example of how easy and rewarding it can be to connect your passion for sport with a cause that matters to you.

Hello everyone,

Pelotonia is a bike tour with one simple goal.. to end cancer. Over 1500 people have signed up so far and each and every dollar raised goes straight to cancer reseach. I am doing the 100 mile bike ride from Columbus to Athens on August 29th and am committed to raising $1500. I am really nervous about this adventure, but am confident that with the prayers and support from my friends and family, I will be able to not only complete the ride, but also surpass my fundraising goal. Please take a look at my Pelotonia website to learn a little bit more about me and why I am riding. Please also consider donating to this cause. Your donation is tax deductible and 100% of it goes straight to the cause. Thanks everyone!

http://www.pelotonia.org/ride/riders_profile.jsp?MemberID=3370&RiderName=Elizabeth%20Baker

Elizabeth “Annie” Baker

Leave the Light on

At First Descents I have seen first hand just how devastating cancer is for a young adult and few people have been hit harder than Eric Galvez. I spent a week with him recently teaching him how to kayak and his story was one of the most moving I have ever heard. Eric, like so many young adults before their cancer, was living a great life. He was athletic, outgoing and giving back though his work as a physical therapist. That all changed when they found a large tumor in his brain. Suddenly, Eric found himself being treated by his coworkers and fighting to regain control of the life he had recently enjoyed.

What made it so moving was his outlook on life everyday since his diagnosis. His cancer hit with such force that it would have derailed anyone else but Eric continues to defy his cancer each day of his life and live well beyond it. It’s a lesson in strength that we can all benefit from.

I have said it so many times before. Sometimes, the biggest gift an athlete can offer is some inspiration. Eric does just that.

Special Olympics Unified Sports Teams

Sometimes, giving back as an athlete can be as easy as simple as playing the sport you love. The Special Olympics Unified Sports team is a great example of how you can do that AND “shatter stereotypes about intellectual disability in the process.”

Please click HERE to learn more.

LIVESTRONG’S Dedication Book

LIVESTRONG has always been a leader in the world of Cancer research, survivorship and support. Given Lance’s role in that leadership and his current comeback in the Tour De France, this seemed like a relevant post. A good friend of mine and First Descents alum just sent me this link to a page she created for a family member on the LIVESTRONG site. Worth checking out and even making your own dedication.

Hi,

I just dedicated a page to my Family Member Douglas Back at LIVESTRONG
Action.

This page is a part of the world’s largest dedication book that LIVESTRONG
Action will use to pressure world leaders to do more to fight cancer. Can you
add your name to my dedication page? It’ll only take a second, and you can
help me reach my target of 25 dedications. Please click here, it only takes a
second:

http://www.livestrongaction.org/dedication/douglas-back

Right now, Lance Armstrong is dedicating his ride in the Tour de France to
the fight against cancer. And after the race, he’ll send this dedication
book - with your signature - to world leaders and pressure them to
make cancer a priority in their own countries. It’s our best chance to push
for better treatment, more funding for cancer research and access to care for
everyone around the world.

But if people like us don’t stand up, these leaders won’t pay attention.

Will you check out my dedication page? Douglas Back inspired me to take
action - hopefully they’ll inspire you to do the same:

Training Update

It has been a very busy couple weeks with travelling, so I fell a bit behind on my training.  I did get a wetsuit from a friend and went for my first open water swims. A wetsuit makes a tremendous difference.  Some people have the ability to float if they lay on their backs in the water… I am not one of them.  I swam a half a mile and continue to wonder how I will manage swimming a mile with 8,000 people kicking me in the face.

I no longer have a gym membership, so all of my swimming will be in Lake Michigan from now on.  I am ahead on the biking and the running so I am really trying to focus on the swimming.  As always, any and all tips are welcome.

I have not given a fundraising update yet because it has not been going as well as I had hoped.  In the past, my bigger donors have been auto dealerships and family members.  Being from a place with 15% unemployment (the entire state of Michigan), the money has not been flowing into my charity account.  I am going to try hosting a bar night in early August, and continue to hope for the best.

LiveStrong,

Brian

The Time is Nau

Nau is a really progressive clothing company. Not only do they make really cool looking clothes that are made with organic/recycled materials they also donate 2% of each sale to a charitable cause. Consumers actually choose where the 2% goes within several pre-selected causes. F

This year Nau is launching their first annual Grant for Change. It is a $10,000 grant for those who instigate lasting, positive change in their communities. One of the categories is for ATHLETES who are challenging assumptions about what it means to move through the world. Nominations are open until August 17th and voting is open until August 31st. This is a really cool and progressive idea form a really cool and progressive company, take some time and check it out!

Here is a video about Nau sponsored athlete making a difference:

Field of Dreams

Another amazing story by ESPN’s Anna Katherine. A wonderful reminder that the only guarantee on the road to success is failure and that our dreams will only be realized if we preserver time and time again.

“Together we can prove that against formidable odds, a few people crazy enough to believe in their own power to create change can overcome a seemingly impossible challenge.”

Please read. Click HERE

Bike for a good cause.

With Brad out of pocket at First Descents Camp, this is becoming bike week here at Athletes Giving. I see more and more people out on their bikes as the Tour de France heats up. Hopefully all of you guys are catching tour fever and are getting out on the bikes. So why not take your new found Bike-Stoke and use it for a good cause? Every weekend there are fun, well supported group rides that benefit charitable causes. There are rides all over the country to benifit MS. For a ride near you please check out http://www.bikems.org/. To find other charity rides in your area check out http://www.bikeride.com/. Search “touring” or “special events.”

Thanks for reading, now get out and ride!

mike

Live Like Mike

This year the Teva Games Vail Pass Time Trial fell on Mike Janelle’s Birthday. Mike Janelle was a long time pro cyclist who, during his career, raced all kinds of different events. He was best known as a mountain bike racer but was also a member of a winning Race Across America Team and an accomplished road and Cyclocross racer. Mike died in his sleep of heart failure on November, 23, 2007. Mike’s Wife, Maribel, was pregnant with their first child when he died.

Mike was an amazing person. He was the kind of guy that made everything more fun. He is dearly missed at every race. So when I found out that the TT was on his birthday I knew I needed to do something. Without access to a chalkbot, I decided to spray paint 9 portraits of Mike on Vail Pass where the race would be.

Mike’s Team, Tokyo Joe’s, set up a website LiveLikeMike.Org to give friends and family a place to share their memories of Mike and also to raise some money to help Maribel and Mike Jr. For a $40 donation you can help out a friend in need and get some sweet gear.

I had a lot of friends tell me that seeing the painting of Mike helped them to push harder and stay in the big ring up the climb. Mike has given me a lot of inspiration a encourage all of us to Live Like Mike

The Raider’s Nnamdi Asomugha

I love this article. Nnamdi’s Mom talks about how she saw her son’s giving nature when he was young. All too often high profile athletes show their heart by starting a foundation in their own name and using it more as a tax shelter than a vehicle to change lives. Nnamdi shows his heart through his acts of kindness to others and has done so since he was young.

Well worth reading! Click HERE