Tedy's Team, Raffle Basket & 5 Months 'til Boston Marathon!
/Thank you to everyone that donated to Tedy's Team. This fundraiser raised $630!! Woo!! Congratulations to Abby K for winning the raffle basket!!!
Winner selected from Random.org.
How crazy is it that it picked 54 - Tedy Bruschi's jersey # with the Patriots. *Destiny*
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I am honored to be on a team with such amazing, dedicated, smart, athletic and kind people.
Tedy's Team was founded by Former Patriot Tedy Bruschi, who suffered a stroke in February 2005 at the age of 31. The Stroke happened "just weeks after winning his third Super Bowl and days after returning from playing in the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. As he recovered, Tedy committed himself to being an advocate, spokesperson, and inspiration for stroke survivors in our area."
So where do the runners come in?
Tedy asked the American Stroke Association to work with him to create “Tedy’s Team,” a group of runners raising money for the American Stroke Association and training to complete the Boston Marathon® and the Falmouth Road Race. Their participation supports Tedy Bruschi’s fight against stroke and honors both the survivors and the loved ones lost to America’s No. 4 leading cause of death.
When I decided in 2013 that I wanted to run the Boston Marathon as a charity runner, I knew it had to be with Tedy's Team .
Why?
Because I have a very personal connection to Strokes. Both of my grandparents are Stroke Survivors, as well as, my wife's father.
I got the acceptance call from Zack, Senior Director of Tedy's Team, in October 2012 and was psyched! I was ready to help in the fight against Stroke and take part in one of the most historic events in the world, the Boston Marathon.
I had an amazing experience training for the Boston Marathon, meeting teammates and helping the American Stroke Association one dollar at a time. But during the training, I had an unexpected loss. My Grampa passed away two days after Christmas. It was a tough tough time.
But when I needed a push to go out in the snow and run 18 miles or a reminder why I was taking on this endeavor to begin with, I thought of him. I even wrote Grampa in the Sparkly Soul headband I wore at every Tedy's Team training run and during the Boston Marathon itself.
The 2013 Boston Marathon is something no one will forget. For those that don't know, I crossed the Finish Line about a minute before the explosions happened. My wife and dad were right near them, but thankfully we all came out unharmed. Here is my recap of that experience.
When asked after that day if I would run the Boston Marathon in 2014, I would say no. I was one and done.
But, things change.
On April 22, Tedy's Team reconvened to have the post-marathon party we didn't have on April 15. There Tedy and Heidi (his wife) posed with all the runners...
and Tedy announced that he would be running in 2014 and that all 2013 runners would be welcomed back to the team for 2014.
AND in that moment the decision was easy, HELL YEAH I would be back in 2014!!
I looked at my "Grampa" Sparkly Soul headband on my wrist, started tearing up, looked at my family and we all knew - I had to run again.
So here I sit, 5 months away from the 2014 Boston Marathon, which will be taking place on April 21, 2014, and while the training hasn't started yet the fundraising has. :) :)
To have the honor of wearing the Tedy's Team singlet again, I have committed to raising at least $5,000 ... and you can help!
In September, I did the 2nd annual 30th Birthday Run-Walk Ramble and once again raised $1000. Since then I have been reaching out to friends and families to start planting the fundraising seed.
At this moment, I have raised $2,950 out of the $5,000 fundraising minimum.
Which brings me to my latest fundraising effort: a raffle basket with amazing prizes - valued over $350!!
The Raffle Basket includes:
*1BandID (value $20)
*ENERGYBits Sample Pack (value $10)
*Got Chocolate Milk Team Refuel visor (value $16)
*Humana Gear Pedometer g1.0 (value $15)
*KT Tape Pro (value $20)
*Nike + iPod Sensor (value $20)
*Omron Pulse Monitor HR-500U (value $172)
*SONY 2GB W Series Walkman MP3 Player (value $70)
*The Biggest Loser: The Weight-Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health, and Life (value $22)
Not Pictured: 1BandID and Team Refuel Visor
Here's how to enter: for every $10 you donate between now and Wednesday, November 27th at 5pm ET, you will get one chance to win the raffle basket. So $30 donated to Tedy's Team = 3 chances to win the basket, etc.
So where do you donate?? Click on this lovely link to get started ---- DONATE HERE!!
Let's Get To Fightin' Stroke!!
