Happy Holidays!

The Peak 4 Poverty team is currently in Tanzania volunteering at the orphanages and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds and awareness for the orphans these orphans.

Just looking at those beautiful faces makes me want to work harder to help them. I can't do that without you. I beg you to find it in your heart to donate to this cause.
The money we raise through Peak 4 Poverty and Run 4 Red Ribbon goes to providing a better life for these children here in the picture. We help provide food and clothes to make their daily lives better, and provide tuition so that these children can get an education and lead productive lives. We are giving them a chance. A chance to have a full, happy life.
If we don't help them, who will?

The number of children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS is expected to reach 25 million; of that 15.6 million live in Sub Sahara Africa.

These orphans are often subject to discrimination so they often don't receive proper healthcare, education, and other services needed to live a healthy life. These orphans are innocents who have had no say in the position they're in and rely on the help of strangers.
Please find it in your heart to donate any amount you can afford. $5, $10, or anything. You can find a link on the right side of my blog where you can chose which amount to give.


I have 3 more ornaments left if you are interested in them. I have 3 Twilight ornaments left. Get one for a $10 donation or three for a $20 donation.
I also have one more care package left for a $50 donation. I'll send out all kinds of yummy goodies for you to share with your families, friends, and/or co-workers.


I hope you all have a happy holiday with your families and friends, as well as a fun and safe New Year.
Thanks, Jenna

Pride and Prejudice Ornaments

Are you a Jane Austen fan? Do you have a friend or family member who is? Any tree of a Pride and Prejudice fan will not be complete unless they have one or three of these ornaments! Made from the pages of Jane Austen's most celebrated novel, these ornaments are the perfect present for any Jane Austen fan. Donate $10 for 1 ornament or $20 for 3 ornaments. Just donate and then Email me Jenna.Chastain@gmail.com to give me your address and your preference of ornament. Go through the pictures below and let me know which one(s) you would like to receive. Thanks!

I have 2 Red Flowers on Spherical ornaments available:

I have 1 green butterfly on a spherical ornament available:

NO LONGER AVAILABLE

I have 1 round ornament with a silver flower and 3 pearls available:

I have 2 heart ornaments with 1 green flower and 3 pearls available:

I have one heart ornament with a red flower available:
NO LONGER AVAILABLE

I have 3 round ornaments with 2 green flowers available:

I have 3 round ornaments with 2 white flowers available:

I have 1 round ornament with 2 silver flowers available:

I also still have 6 of the Twilight ornaments left, same deal with those, just let me know which you prefer! Thanks =)

Donate and Get Something In Return!

Well, as you can see in my earlier post, if you donate $10 you get 1 Twilight or Pride and Prejudice ornament, if you donate $20 you will get 3 ornaments.

If you donate $50 I will send a few batches of homemade cookies (or another baked good.) I am quite the baker. I make really cute sugar cookies in all different shapes with homemade royal frosting decorations. I also make a mean oatmeal M&M cookie. I'm only doing this for the first two donors that donate at least $50. I can send them out right after you make the donation or I can send them out right before the holiday so you can serve them at a party! Just make the donation and email me your mailing address and when you would like the cookies by!

Thanks,
Jenna

Dear Twilight Lovers,

I make these adorable ornaments out of book pages, and I am currently making Twilight ones! If you make a $10 donation and I will send you one! If you donate $20 I will send you THREE ornaments!

If you are a Twilight fan your Christmas tree will not be complete unless you have at least one of these on it, and if you're not a Twilight fan, but know someone who is, then these will make excellent gifts! You can get your Christmas shopping done and help out AIDS orphans at the same time!

I can put a green flower with a pearl center if you don't like the red one, but I think the red goes great with the Twilight theme. I can also do heart shaped ornaments or flat, round ones as well. If you're not a fan of Twilight or you know someone who is a Jane Austen fan I also have Pride and Prejudice ornaments! Just let me know if you'd like something different than the one pictured.

Just make your donation and Email your mailing address to Jenna.Chastain@gmail.com

Thanks, Jenna

400 MILES!!!!!!!!!!!

I reached 400 miles the other day! I started running June 1st and have reached a big milestone! I'm SO close to the halfway point! So. So. Close. I can almost taste it. I've been keeping on track with my running as best as I can, but as you can see the donations amount isn't up to par. I'm no where near my goal. Well, it's not really MY goal. It's these kids' goal. They are the ones that need to clothes, food, medical supplies, and education. They need all of this, and they don't have parents to help them. They rely on the kindness of strangers like you to provide basic essentials.

Every human being in the world has the right to an education. The right to learn. That is what I'm trying to accomplish. Who else is going to help these kids if you don't? Please, please find it in your hearts to donate $10 to my cause. If you head over to my other blog you can find a place to donate. It would mean the WORLD to me, and it would mean even more to these children. Show them there is some good in this world.

Thank you.

Post From My Personal Blog

The first part of this post is a little repetitive from past posts, but I was trying to inform new followers about my journey with Run 4 Red Ribbon, so please bear with me and read through this post. Thanks =)

Starting on June 1, 2010 I began a 1,004 mile journey to be completed on June 1, 2011 in order to raise awareness to a charity that means a lot to me. In the beginning of the year I was randomly contacted via Twitter by Peak 4 Poverty. Just a random tweet, I honestly don't even remember what that was about. I just saw that this person was talking to me and went to their blog to check out what they were all about.

Peak 4 Poverty goes to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world's largest free standing mountain. They do this to raise money and bring awareness to the growing number of AIDS orphans in Tanzania, the 3rd poorest country in the nation.

I cannot afford to go on the trip to Tanzania, but I was trying to find a way to help. First I bought about 10 of the red bracelets that P4P sells for $4. I still wanted to do more. So I contacted Nabeel, who was the first person to contact me via twitter and I relayed an idea that I had for him. I would run 1,000 miles in one year and blog about it to raise awareness and money for the charity. He was really excited about the idea and within a month The R4R Project was born. The P4P team created Run 4 Red Ribbon so that anyone interested could run, bike, swim as many miles as they want in whatever time period all to get people's attention and hopefully get them to donate to these children.

What drew me to P4P was that they not only strive to feed and clothe these children, bettering their day to day lives, but they also improve their quality of life by providing an education so that when they grow up and out of the orphanages they have skills and are able to uphold a job to take care of themselves and a future family as well.

"If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for life."

I believe Peak 4 Poverty lives true to this proverb. They are giving these children an education so that they will be able to live a full adult life.

There is also a "pay it forward" aspect to P4P. The children a tought about helping others and see how much their lives are changed because of the generosity of others. In turn, once they get their education, learn a trade, and get a job they are able to turn around and help the orphanages that raised them. So by you donating to the cause and giving hope to the children, you are giving hope to many future generations of AIDS orphans. The kindness you show in donating $10, $20, $50 will not only improve the quality of life of AIDS orphans living in Africa now, you are paving the way to end poverty for future generations in one of the poorest nations in the world.

Please help me in the fight to stomp out poverty one mile and one child at a time! Head to my other blog to donate and begin the process to change a child's life for the better.

Thank you,

Jenna

Currently In Training!

For: Half Marathon, Marathon, and a 12k!

Running on behalf of AIDS orphans and Peak 4 Poverty.
A donation from you would be a great motivation for me.
Thanks for the support!!

I mustache you a question.

Why have we not had a Mustache Monday yet? SO many of my friends have promised me donations so they could see me run with a mustache. I know a lot of you would not be there to see me run with it, but I would take pictures and video for you all to see!! Please, please, make my dreams come true and donate to this cause that I love so much. I'm working my butt off to get these miles in, which is not easy when I have a clingy 2 year old to deal with 24/7, and I'm doing it to help these children. I can only do so much on my own. I need your help. I cannot do this alone. I wish I could donate my goal $$$ myself, I would in a heart beat if I had that kind of money to spare. This is why I need your help. I have over 100 supporters on my facebook page and if every single one of you would donate at least $5 we could significantly improve the quality of lives for these AIDS orphans. $5 from you would be the difference between going to bed hungry or going to bed with some food in an AIDS orphans tummy.

To further my efforts and hopefully inspire you to donate, I am running a few races in early 2011.

February 6: Davis, CA Stampede Half Marathon




March 6: Napa Valley Marathon




May 15: Bay to Breakers 12k

These are the races I will be registering for as soon as I can. I'm really excited about running and training for these races. I'll be the girl in red. I would really appreciate all this effort to have not been in vain. I'm trying really hard to help others in need, and I can't do it myself. It needs to be a team effort. A big THANK YOU to everyone who has donated so far. You mean the world to me, and these children truly appreciate the gift you've given them.

As you may have noticed all of the races I'm planning on doing are in California. Well, I'm moving back to my homestate! Jeremy got orders to do an advanced course for a year in Monterey, so we'll only be a few hours from my family. I'm really looking forward to the move and I'll be finishing my Run 4 Red Ribbon in the Golden State!

I know I sound like a broken record, but if you can help me raise $100 by Monday, October 11 I will do a 4 mile run with an awesome mustache on my face!! It will be slightly embarassing, but freaking amazing!

Thanks for the support,
Jenna

Mustache Monday Bloopers!

August, The Month of 100 Miles!

Since I was on vacation most of July I fell behind on my miles, I am working on catching up. So August is the month of 100 miles! By the end of the month I want to be caught up and a little ahead, so I need to hit at least 100 miles! This week has started out a little slow, it's hard to get into a good rhythm and schedule while at my parents house.

Absent, but not really

The past week I have been traveling to Utah and camping here with my family. We don't have wifi all the time, I'm actually at a McDonald's letting my daughter play while I get updated on things. The air is so much thinner where I am, so it's making running difficult. Running makes me feel like my lungs are going to explode! The only internet I have is my phone and the blogger and dailymile sites don't work well with it. I don't have the greatest connection on my phone out here in the middle of nowhere. Hopefully next week we'll be staying somewhere that has free wifi and I'll be able to keep everyone updated.

While up camping at my family reunion I told all of my family members about my 1,004 mile journey. They all seemed pretty excited about Mustache Mondays. My cousins Damien and Sarah said they were going to lead a crusade to get donation next weekend so I'll be running with a mustache when I get to California. So I really hope they remember and we can raise $100 this weekend!! I promise to get a great video of me running with a mustache!

Once I get to California I will be able to run on a better schedule and I'm going to map out my plans to run a 10k this fall, a half marathon after that, and a full marathon in the spring hopefully. So I'll be logging a lot of miles a week, and will probably get ahead of schedule by December.

Again, thank you for all of the support! Help me get the word out this weekend and we can celebrate MUSTACHE MONDAY! Also, remember that after we raise $1,000 I will be running in a costume voted on by you guys. So send me some ideas for costumes!

Thanks,
Jenna

100 MILES!!

I've reached 100 miles over the weekend, and it felt good! It's such a big milestone for me! I have never really kept track of my mileage or had a goal like the one I have now, so it's weird to see '100' on the little ticker on my blog. I have proof I've run 100 miles, and I've done it in less than a month and a half! We haven't had any donations the past few weeks, so it's been hard to find the motivation to run.

1,004 miles in a year is quite a challenge for me. I'm about 40 lbs over-weight and I am pretty busy, so it's hard for me to find the time to actually get to the gym and run. It's also difficult to entertain my two year old from the treadmill. Through all of this I manage to get to the gym, or run around my neighborhood. I do this in hopes to inspire you. I'm beating myself up trying to log in the miles to help these children, and if enough people see this and are touched by this cause I hope they will donate. If each person that visits this blog gives $5 we could do a world of good for these children.

As a mom I cannot look these children in the face and do nothing to help them, but I need your help. Please, please find it in your hearts to give just a small amount to these children. It won't be much to you, but it will help them tremendously. We can put food in their bellies, and help educate them so they can become self-sufficient adults. Please, please, please donate!!!!!

Thanks,
Jenna

1 Month Down, 11 To Go!

So this first month has been great. I've reached personal milestones with my running. I ran 6 1/4 miles the other day, which is the farthest I've ever run in one distance. I ran that outside and got EATEN by mosquitoes.

We have also raise $165 this month!! I have many supporters through friends, family, and complete strangers who have opened their hearts and donated to this great cause. Every time I see that there is a new donation I get really motivated and it really helps me complete my runs. So, thank you, and remember to tell your friends and keep those donations coming in! I need the motivation, and these children need to eat and get an education!! So your money is going a long way!!

Hopefully this month we will have a Mustache Monday! I even went out and bought an awesome fake mustache to wear when the day finally comes. So remember, if we raise $100 over the weekend I will be running with a mustache!!!

Again, thank you for your support! It is very much appreciated.
-Jenna

MUSTACHE MONDAY!!!

We still haven't had a mustache monday!! This will be the third Monday since I've started, and we just haven't had enough weekend donations to send me running with a mustache on my face!! So this week I'm doing something different. Instead of two days, I'm giving you guys a whole week! Now through next Monday (June 28th) if $100 more dollars are raised, bringing us to a total of $240, I will run next Monday with a MUSTACHE!!!!!!!!!!!
So send out the link to the blog and get your friends to donate! I'll take pictures and video of my mustache run and post it for everyone to see.

$10 will feed one orphan for two weeks!!
Thanks, Jenna

33 miles down, 971 miles to go!!

Since it Sunday evening and I haven't received any donations this weekend, it's looking like we're not going to be celebrating Mustache Monday tomorrow =( We have 50 more Mondays left, I'm sure I'll be wearing a mustache at least a few of those Mondays!!

I was hoping to be at 40-50 miles by today, but I've had shin problems the past week of so. They weren't too bad until I did my Walnut Creek run last weekend, and I guess running on the pavement up and down the hills really didn't help. Until then I was thinking it was just shin splints, but I'm afraid they might be stress fractures because the pain is in a more concentrated in one spot on each shin and it's much more painful that it was before. So I've been taking it easy this week. I haven't been running as far as I'd like, and I'm jogging at a slow pace with shorter strides so I do not put too much pressure on my lower leg bones. That along with wearing my shin sleeves has seemed to help. I did go a bit overboard today going 4.6 miles, but I was desperately trying to make up some miles. It took me a while, but I got it done and it felt really good. I am icing my shins now and will probably need to sit in an ice bath to reduce any inflammation in my hips, knees, shins, and ankles. That's going to be FREEZING!!

I'm not trying to get anyone to feel sorry for me. If these children that I'm running for can live on one small meal a day, I can surely run a few painful miles to get the attention of others so maybe they will find it in their hearts to donate. I am not complaining about the pain, I'm just letting my supporters know why I am a few miles behind, and I'm working through this so I can catch up and get back on track.

I know the economy is terrible right now, and many people are suffering. No matter how bad it is, these children have it a lot worse. $5 may not be much to you, but combined with many $5 donations it is helping to improve the daily life of these children as well as eliminating poverty through education.

So once again, thank you to my many supporters. You kind words of encouragement have been a great help. I humbly ask you to take it one step further and donate $5 or $10 to these children. You'll be changing their lives, and that's really what my 1,004 mile journey is all about.

Many, many thank yous.
-Jenna

Week 2

This week has been much slower than the first week. I was maybe a little too excited and ran much harder and faster than I should have and ended up injuring my shins again. I'm hoping it's just a little case of shin splints and not stress fractures! So this week I took it much easier and actually took two days off to rest and also take care of my sick baby.

I got back in the gym today and took it really easy as to not put too much pressure on my shins. It worked!! I'm not nearly as sore as I was, which is a good sign. So this weekend I will be making up my miles missed. My goal is to slowly get ahead of schedule so I can take days off when I'm injured.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has donated so far! It really means a lot! Your money is doing a world of good for these children who so desperately need it! No donation is too small.


I'll be doing another vlog this weekend, so keep on the look out for that, and thank you again for all the support!

-Jenna

Donations and Mustache Monday!

First off I would like to thank everyone who has donated so far! It's only the 3rd day, I've done 8.4 miles and I have already gotten $50 in sponsorship! I'd like to thank Pat, Robbin, Tyson, and Jeremy for their donations! That money is going to help tremendously in improving the quality of life for so many who need that help! I honestly cannot thank you enough for the support!

Orphans are often subject to discrimination and are less likely to receive healthcare, education, and other needed services. Your donations are going a long way to help these children. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Now on to MUSTACHE MONDAY! Over the course of this weekend (Saturday & Sunday) if I receive at least $100 in donations I will run on Monday out in public with a mustache drawn on my face. And yes, I will have either photographic or video evidence to prove that I did in fact do this! All I need it 10 people to donate $10 on either Saturday or Sunday!! So please, please, please, find it in your heart to donate this weekend!

Thank you for the continued support!
-Jenna

First Vlog!

The first of many vlogs to come. I will try and do one every week. I'm serious about my little fund raising ideas. There will be photographic/video proof. So please, please sponsor me!
Thanks so much,
Jenna

Red Laces!

I'm getting more and more excited for June 1st!

What This Page Is For

I am using the first post of this blog to explain why I have this blog and what I will be using it for in the next year.

Starting on June 1, 2010 I will set out on a year long adventure of running 1,004 miles to raise money for Peak 4 Poverty. 1,004 miles in 365 days is roughly 3 miles a day. Some days I'll do more, other days less, but I will complete 1,004 miles before June 1, 2011.

A few months ago I discovered the non-profit organization on twitter, well, actually they discovered me. I had tweeted about wanting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, and @peak4poverty responded about how it had been a tough climb, but was worth it to get to the top for a great cause. After that I checked out the P4P website and blog. I was deeply touched by the work they are doing for the AIDS orphans in Tanzania.

Looking through the pictures of these children brought tears to my eyes. I cannot look at these beautiful little faces, and do nothing to help make their lives better. You see, I'm a mom of a happy, healthy 2 year old. She is very lucky to have been born with two loving parents in a place where she has every opportunity to lead a long, healthy life and will have many options to lead a productive life. These children are not so lucky. I know my daughter is young, but I want to start teaching her the value of helping others. I want her to be kind and giving to others that may not be as lucky as her. I began to rack my brain for ideas on how I can show and not tell her, all while helping these children. This is how I came up with my 1,004 mile plan. With the help of Nabeel Meghji, a co-founder of p4p that I have been in touch with, this blog was set up and my idea came to life.

I have a week before it starts, and I am so pumped! June 1st I will be running 4.4 miles to kick it off. I will be using this blog to track my daily mileage to keep myself on track and make sure to reach my goal. I'm hoping that by running this distance, I will be inspiring others to help as well. I am asking anyone that is touched by this cause and what Peak 4 Poverty is doing for these children, if they can please donate! These children need so much, yet they have so little. One small donation from you can raise their quality of life and get them on track to a healthy, productive life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my first post. I hope that you continue your interest in my project, stay up to date on future posts and my mileage, and more importantly are inspired to help these children.

Stay tuned for a video I will be posting this weekend before the start of my year-long run.
-Jenna

P.S. I'd like to thank those who helped build this blog. The heading is AMAZING! I love everything about it. If it weren't for you, this blog would be quite simple and boring. Thank you so much for your time and effort!