1. Why are you doing this campaign?

I have been on a personal journey of wellness this year. At the start of the year, my health was deteriorating. My weight was out of control, my blood pressure was 180/120, I was sleeping poorly, and I was not able to enjoy activities with my family that involved any level of fitness. So, I began eating better and working out. Walking has been a big part of that. I was on a 7-mile walk one morning and I hatched this idea. I'm turning 50 and want to mark the milestone with something meaningful that gives back to organizations that have given much to my family over the years. 

2. Why did you select these 5 organizations to support?

Challenged Athlete's Foundation (CAF): We met CAF at the first walking-running clinic. As we learned about this organization, Cami received a grant to attend their Bro Am, which included a surfing clinic in San Diego. From that connection, CAF has sponsored Cami in numerous sporting endeavors, most recently with Para-Beach Volleyball. They have opened up a national network of amputees to Cami that has enabled her to learn, adapt, and grow, leading to a healthier, more fulfilling life. 

Hope's Harbor: I am currently the Board President. I joined the Board because our family has made extensive use of hospitality homes. In 2005, our twins were born nearly 11 weeks premature. One of the twins, Reece, was in and out of the hospital during her short, three-year life. we lived over two hours away from the hospital and we were always comforted to be on property, close to the hospital. Hope's Harbor provides that type of support to families with all kinds of medical conditions. 

Turnstone Center: When Cami had her leg amputated at the age of seven, we entered into a whole world we knew nothing about. One of the first organizations we met was Turnstone, who hosted a walking and running clinic. When Cami chose to have her leg amputated, she said "I just want to be able to run faster to beat my gym teacher in a race." This walking and running clinic was crucial to that goal, as she learned how to utilize her prosthetic.  From there, Turnstone has engaged Cami in a variety of physical activities - sitting volleyball, tennis, basketball, running, and more. We have seen first-hand how they help individuals of all abilities participate in physical activities and enjoy the benefits of healthy movement. 

USA Patriots: We met USA Patriots through other amputees who had participated in their Kids' Camps. Cami participated in her first Kids' Camp in Wisconsin and to see veterans who had sacrificed for us and experienced limb loss giving to these kids over the course of a week was inspiring. They did more than just teach softball - they shared knowledge on navigating their disability, they inspired confidence, and they created a community of support. As a number of them shared, I learned they get as much out of this camp as it provides them the opportunity to navigate the challenges that come with former, often times traumatic, service. 

USA Volleyball Foundation: Our family is very competitive and into sports. Both our daughters play and love volleyball. Our youngest, Cami, has recently joined the National Team Development Program for USA's Sitting Volleyball program, the Paralympic Volleyball movement. This has been a tremendous platform to grow, learn, and compete. Plus, she has met most of the 3x Paralympic Gold Medalists! Her dream is to one day chase gold on the USA Paralympic Sitting Volleyball team, and the USA Volleyball Foundation is a major part of helping individuals like her chase those dreams. 

3. When will this event take place?

I will be walking 50,000 steps all in one day on December 17th at Turnstone's Plassman Athletic Center. I will be raising funds leading up to my birthday and hopefully accelerate giving further on that day. I am looking forward to a lot of interactive activities, live interviews while walking, and more. Stay tuned!

4. How can people and organizations participate? 

Comment, Like, and Share! Help me spread the word to bring awareness and magnify the missions of these 5 great organizations. I will be posting my journey via my LinkedIn Page here. Leave a comment containing your words of support or your own story about the power of sport and community. 

Get Active! Join me in healthy movement and share your stories as I update my progress. I'm inviting you to be a part of this journey!

Donate! You can donate directly on this page. Turnstone has agreed to be the fiscal agent, meaning they will collect and distribute the funds to the five chosen organizations, while providing the tax receipts necessary for donors. 

5. What is your wildest dream for this campaign?

In my wildest dreams, we will blow past the $50,000 goal and provide the much needed funding to these amazing organizations. Even more though, I hope this campaign inspires a movement - a movement to walk and get healthy, a movement to create greater awareness of the benefit of sport and physical activity for limb different individuals, and much like the ice bucket challenge, a movement for more individuals to take up similar milestone challenges and give back to their community.