Melanie Lidman

Active Angels

Here is a person who raises the bar for humanity.  When he was 26, Jonny Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  During his fight, he had a lot of support from family and friends but never connected with someone his own age who had gone through what he was going through.  That’s what motivated him to create Imerman’s Angels so that others would have the support he didn’t.

“Imerman Angels connects a person fighting cancer today (”cancer fighter”) with someone who has beaten the same type of cancer (”cancer survivor”).”  A program like this is VERY needed for young adults with cancer.  

Imerman’s Angels is a 501(c)3 and donations go a very long way to help them provide their services.  They have created an amazing outlet for athletes to give back to their cause.  It’s called Imerman’s Active and it’s a group dedicated to individuals who want to participate in any of the athletic events in support of Imerman Angels. The 2009 line up includes: the Austin Half Marathon, Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the LIVESTRONG Challenge.

Imerman Active Team Training is an endurance training program that trains participants to complete marathons. Imerman Active participants raise money to benefit 1-on-1 Cancer Support through Imerman Angels. In exchange for their fundraising efforts, team members receive professional training by experienced coaches, monthly team parties, race day events, pre-race pasta party and a post race victory party AND the knowledge that all money raised will help provide cancers fighters with 1-on-1 support.

To learn more about Imerman Angels and Imerman Active, please check out their website at www.imermanangels.org

7 “extreme” athletes with a cause

Forbes did this piece on “7 ‘extreme’ athletes with a cause”. I would rename it “7 athletes doing extreme things for a cause”. Regardless of what you want to call it, these athletes are at the pinnacle of athletic fundraising. Some pretty cool stories about just how far people will go to fundraise.

check it: http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/24/athletes-creative-giving-personal-finance-philanthropy-giving_slide.html

PR stunt or true charity?

Hugh Jackman (yes, THAT Hugh Jackman) has made a giving pledge. 100k to a charity of his choosing that he will pick based on tweets submitted on his twitter site @realhughjackman

It’s an interesting opportunity for charities but many are saying that it’s an even more interesting way for Hugh to get pr. He is getting tweets at the rate of several per minute so the odds of your charity receiving the 100k aren’t great whereas his chances of getting increased pr are.

After looking into it, if this is his way of getting PR I would much rather see this than hear about another scandal, sex tape or trip to rehab. Giving inspires giving and this is a great way to get the ball rolling. It will also become a great forum for charities to showcase themselves by tweeting.

Send your tweets for your charity to @realhughjackman and if you can’t think of one to send, please send this on behalf of Young Adults with cancer:

@realhughjackman FirstDescents.org empowers young adults with cancer to regain control of their lives through free outdoor adventure therapy

Here is an article about it: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2338744/Hugh-Jackmans-Twitter-charity-pled

Cee Cee

Please watch this exclusive AG interview with Lilly Lorenzo-Luaces, a good friend and First Descents alum.

Cee Cee embodies the mission of AthletesGiving. After a diagnosis of cancer flipped her life upside down, she took back control by attending First Descents. That experience empowered and inspired her to challenge herself by running a half marathon, something she thought she would never do and to gave her the desire to pay it forward to other young adult survivors by raising 5k for First Descents.

Please watch this video and then click HERE to see her fundraising page if you can, make a 10 dollar contribution to help her achieve her goal.

His war continues

A close friend of mine, Nick Raitt aka Nickname, has been in a war with cancer for 2 years now. I met Nick at a First Descents kayak camp in Montana with First Descents.
He’s an amazing all around athlete and for years had used sports to raise money for causes. He’s the ultimate giving athlete. Last year he held a local soft ball tournament that riased 5k which he split between First Descents and his local treatment center.

Recently he joined Team Beyond Cancer as one of their athletes with a goal of raising 20k for young adult cancer survivors to attend First Descents.

Nick received news that his cancer is back and on April 15, he will begin his battle with cancer again. Please follow him on his blog http://www.nick-raitt.blogspot.com/ and support his efforts. We could all learn a lot from Nick.

CNN Heroes

Most good hearted people do what they do because they really care not because they need recognition even though they truly deserve it. Here’s a cool way to recognize your favorite philanthropic athletes and by doing so, inspire others to join the team!

CNN HEROES

Boof against the odds

Katie Hilleke is one of the strongest female athletes on this planet and it runs in the family. Her brother Tommy is an equally strong paddler and both are as nice as they come.

A couple of years ago, Katie was diagnosed with colon cancer as a young woman in the prime of her life. A devastating event no matter how you look at it. Katie however chose to see it as an opportunity.

The paddling community that Katie is such as big part of was able to raise 20k to help her with medical bills. She didn’t feel like she deserved this and decided to pay it forward for the next person in her position by starting a national fundraiser. Katie had people pledge to sponsor her in her efforts to kayak as much as possible over the course of 2 months. People pledged for every river mile she did and she spilt that money between First Descents and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Both of these organizations are very near to her heart after her experience.

This is a perfect example of someone who found a silver lining and used their athletic passion to support a cause that was very important to them. You don’t need to have had cancer to apply Katie’s example to your life. Just follow your passion and use it to help a cause that really means something to you!

To read her story, please click here

Good deed of the week - The Right to Play

I love this foundation and it’s mission.  THE RIGHT TO PLAY foundation “is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Working in both the humanitarian and development context, Right To Play trains local community leaders as Coaches to deliver its programs in countries affected by war, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.”

It’s such a simple concept, facilitate peace, education, community development and health through the simple act of sport and play.  Something we so often take for granted. 

Click HERE to learn more and/or donate.

Get flocked

This is interesting. Recently a group of high school athletes started “flocking” (click here to read the article) people to raise money. This has the potential to back fire so be careful!

The basics: Buy as many of the MOST OBNOXIOUS cheap lawn ornaments you can get your hands on (they used pink flamingos) and then at night, put them up in someone’s yard. When they wake up, they have to pay to have them removed (yes, the money goes to charity) and they have to tell you who’s lawn to go to next. Obviously, the more obnoxious the object the better chance you have of making big money. I think a nativity scene made of blow up dolls would be your best bet for the big bucks.