Good Bye

Well, not good bye forever. Peak 4 Poverty & Run 4 Red Ribbon will continue to have a special place in my heart until it stops beating. I cannot believe this year is over already. 365 days - 1,004 miles! It seems like so much, but now it seems to have just flown by.

My final run was a lot different than my first one. If you remember, I set out to the gym at Offutt AFB, NE because of the thunderstorm I wasn’t able to run outside. So my goal for the first run was to run 4.4 miles. I had just hit 3.9 miles on the treadmill when the sirens started blaring and the nice Air Force Services folks started rounding everyone up to go into the locker rooms (the locker rooms were the most secure area of the gym, made up mostly of concrete.) So I had to jump off the treadmill, rush into the steamiest, most humid room I’ve ever set foot in---which was not comfortable since I was hot & sweaty from running 3.9 miles! I had to sit on the floor and wait out the storm, hoping it would pass soon so I could hop back on the treadmill and finish out my first run.

My first run wasn’t the best, but I got it done and was happy to start this long journey. I remember feeling like I had such a long road ahead of me. I guess in a way I did, but reflecting back on this year, it feels like time flew by too quickly.

My final run was on my own (no jogging stroller) out on the beaches in Monterey, CA where my family and I moved to during the autumn. I ran with no music in my ears so I could use the quiet time to think of what this year has meant to me.

It has meant a lot to me. I wish there was a better, more poetic way to say it, but it has. It all started with a simple twitter exchange about Mt. Kilimanjaro with @peak4poverty and after months of this great charity always in my thoughts I finally came up with a simple idea on how I could have some small part in helping these children who OH SO DESERVE any and all help they can get.

My mission wasn’t just to run 1,004 miles, but to use my running to gain some attention and shine a light on these children. I wanted to raise funds and awareness.

“You give a man a fish, he eats for a day. You teach a man to fish, he eats for life.”

This saying is the perfect way to describe Peak 4 Poverty. Yes, they could use all of the funds to provide more and better meals as well as clothing and other daily essentials, but a lot of it goes towards tuition. These orphaned children are given an education and a chance to build a better life for themselves. Their society has given up on them and it is the kindness of strangers that gives them hope.

The people who donate to Peak 4 Poverty make it possible for these children to learn a trade. They receive an education so that when they reach adulthood they aren’t thrust out of the orphanage with no way to make a living or take care of themselves. This way they are able to earn wages, get proper medical care, and give back to the next generation of AIDS orphans who need an education just like they did. If this great cycle continues, eventually poverty will be stomped out completely. No human being should go without nutrition or healthcare just because they weren’t given the opportunity to learn how to take care of themselves.

So just know, those of you who donated, as well as those of you who plan on donating in the future--or you know, now over on the right hand side of the blog--your dollars are hard at working helping make the future bright for children who otherwise may not have had a fighting chance. For your kindness, I offer my sincerest appreciation. You are all heroes.

I look forward to seeing how far Run 4 Red Ribbon goes. In just this past year we’ve had at least 9 participants running races or certain distances in a given time to raise awareness and funds for Peak 4 Poverty. It’s been amazing to watch my little idea blossom into something so big and awe inspiring.

Again, I just want to say thank you. I’ve given my blood, sweat, and tears and put up with some evil shins, but it’s all been worth it. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and family, and the kindness of strangers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Warmest regards,

Jenna Chastain

Raising Awareness

So we are 9 months into my year-long run. I can't believe we have made it this far! I'm excited by how many others have involved themselves in R4R. With the help of others we have been able to raise funds and awareness. Seven people have been involved with Run 4 Red Ribbon, and together we have ran over roughly 1,000

miles. Collectively with all Peak 4 Poverty efforts we have been able to put 60+ children through school this year.

My personal fundraising goal was quite large, but I wanted to at least raise $1 for every mile. As you can see, I am far from that goal. Still, I put in my miles week in and week out. I’ve been behind schedule, as well

as ahead of schedule. It’s been a bumpy road, and I still have a few months and about 257 miles to go! It seems so far, but I’ve run close to 750 miles now!

I recently had an online chat wih Nabeel from Peak 4 Poverty. He’s been a big supporter and he reminded me of why I am doing this. It’s important to raise awareness right now. Me running and blogging about these orphans is reminding people that they are out there. Every day these children are out there working hard and fighting for an education so that they can one day provide for themselves and their future families. Nabeel reminded me that we need to raise awareness first and the funds will eventually come.

So far I have done a horrible job of getting awareness out. I haven’t blogged nearly as much as I should have, and I need to be more vocal on facebook and twitter. I need to get the word out. I can run as much as I can, but without the blogging how are people going to even know what I’m doing? I only have a few months left, and in that time I plan on being more active online. I want you to know what I’m doing, and why exactly I’m doing it.

I’m running for these children. I’m running for their education. I’m running for their quality of life.

They need your help.

*I'd like to thank the Peak 4 Poverty team, who traveled to Tanzania this winter to visit the children and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds and awareness for these children for the pictures that I used for this post. I appreciate all of your hard work and support.