Why Do They Go Together?
I was supposed to write this yesterday. Actually, I was supposed to write it last week and publish it yesterday, but I could not think of what I actually wanted to share this week. After giving it some thought, I figured that I could share what has been taking up a fair amount of my time and brain power…running & fundraising, and they happen to go together.
Let’s Start with the Running.
If you don’t read my blog, then let me give you a little recap. I plan to run my 18th consecutive Marine Corps Marathon this fall, and since I am running it virtually (again), I figured that I could do their Trifecta. What is the Trifecta? It is a 10K, Marathon, and 50K. How do I plan to conquer it? I plan to do it in 3 days, same route, same loop, 3 days in a row. This means that I will run 10K on Friday, the Marathon which is 42K on Saturday, and I will finish off the weekend with a 50K on Sunday. Since I can’t #runwiththemarines, I plan to run on their stomping grounds. I will cover the 102K by running loops on one of the bases here on Okinawa. The loops are 3 miles or 5K so that means I will run 20 loops around this little base to reach my goal.
What Is the Organization?
I am the Director of Curriculum for the Okinawa Leadership Seminar. “Our three-day intensive training empowers emerging leaders in the spouse community across all services and ranks. OLS provides an opportunity for spouses to learn and hone skills in leadership, communication, team dynamics and goal setting. These skills can be applied in the military community, as well as their personal and professional lives.”
https://okinawaleadershipseminar.org/about-us
The Okinawa Leadership Seminar provides the 3-day event to active duty military spouses on the island at no charge. In the past, we have been able to use a free facility on the base, and we used the volunteer crew to assist us with providing lunch for the participants. Unfortunately, this year, we could not find a free space on the island, and our options are limited, so we are using a beautiful facility on one of the USMC bases to conduct the seminar. The facility will be beautiful, and in order to use it, we are required to use their catering. I have had the food there, and it is worth every penny, but for an organization who is completely self-funded, where every penny counts, we are now conducting additional fund-raising to pay for the catering so that our special spouse-leaders have a lovely place in order to network and learn.
What Is the Fundraising?
One of the fundraising streams that we are using is one that I created on my own. I set up a gofundme site, and all of the money I raise will go to pay for the catering and seminar space for the military spouses who signed up for the event. https://gofund.me/4ed6a19e
Why Do I Do This?
I have done fundraising and running in the past. I have raised money for Hope For The Warriors, for Girls On The Run, and for Autism Speaks. I have Worn Blue – Run to Remember. I have helped with Semper Fi Fund, and I have donated to countless others. Running, spreading awareness, and fundraising all seem to go hand-in-hand for me. Sometimes it is good to RUN WITH A PURPOSE. I haven’t run for a fundraiser in a few years because I don’t take it lightly. Running is stressful, both mentally and physically, and fundraising is stressful, but as I go out there and ask a lot of my body, I am reminded of the people who are supporting us through the fundraising, and I am reminded of the military spouses who are eager to learn and grow. Sometimes, it is during those really tiresome times that I need to be reminded that I am running for more than just me.
Thank you for taking time to read the blog, and thank you for taking time to make a donation. Every dollar counts!
Monday Morning with Mona 