I was on the sofa:
In January 2008, I contacted everyone I knew and told them about my crazy idea to raise money for Heifer International while I do triathlons. I really like their work and I needed encouragement to get off the couch. Back then, I committed to three races. Now, I’ve finished six, including medaling once. Each race has taught me its own little lesson and given me a little gift. With the last race over, I’m sad to say that I am still just short of my goal for Heifer. To those of you who donated in 2008, thank you! If you have been meaning to donate, but just haven’t gotten around to it, now is the time.
Because it isn’t hard enough – the added challenge:
Team Heifer is a grassroots movement of people raising money to help end hunger and poverty by collecting donations to Heifer International. They are a great, award-winning organization that runs successful programs around the world to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. You can learn more about Heifer’s programs at www.heifer.org. Particularly check out the “Passing on the Gift” part – it’s part of what makes Heifer programs work long-term to sustain a community.
What You Can Do:
Please donate $5 per race, $30 total, to Heifer International. As you can see from my Team Heifer site, I need help from others to reach my goal. On my Team Heifer site, you can type in the amount you want to donate or select “honeybees” for $30 (may I also suggest “trees” for $60) and then press continue to be taken to a credit card-based donation form. If you would like a paper form, please contact me directly and I can send you one. (This allows donations to count towards my fund raising goal.) Any sized gift is welcome and may be tax deductible. Remember, this isn’t money for me, this is money to support a great agricultural, economy-building, life-enriching program that is truly global in scope.
Why Heifer International:
I picked Heifer International because many of the causes that the races raise funds for are “wealthy problems”. It’s not that I don’t care about Juvenile Diabetes or hospice care or a community center – nothing could be further from the truth – but these are much less of a priority when compared to global poverty and hunger. The modern world developed from subsistence farming, but everything from disasters to ill-executed political programs to war have destabilized that base of agriculture. When people are hungry, when they have to worry about how they are going to feed their families, they are more open to crime, insurrection, and war to survive. When people have food they then have the luxury of time to consider politics, music, and medicine. They are healthier, the can dig wells to get clean water, they have a sense of community and purpose. Heifer International doesn’t just work abroad, they have programs in the United States too. This is truly a global reach. Please consider making a donation to help others have the blessings that we have.
