Putting It All Together

The purpose of our first organizational meeting last November was to create a fundraising event at local fitness centers with the proceeds benefiting a variety of local non-profits who specialized in helping vets with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The idea was to get folks to pedal stationary bikes (spin) 262 mnutes......one minute for every Ohioan killed in action since 9/11.  Getting people interested was easy.  Getting fitness centers involved was another story.  

Cassie was amazing.  She did the lion's share of promoting.  Life Center Plus in Hudson and it's kingpin, Jerry Lynch was driving us forward and wouldn't let up!  Jerry put his staff and his PR guru on it. It was all I could do to strap myself in and hang on.

The event took place on February 26th, the anniversary of Andy's death and was a huge success.  We had 12 fitness centers involved and raised over $14,000!  It just goes to show what can happen when a group of good people get together for an even better cause.  I was truly impressed and humbled.  Our website, Pedal For Heroes USA got a lot of traffic.  The Andy Nowacki Foundation's website was linking to the site as was others.

A month later Sheila, my wife, and I headed down to Tallmadge to be Cassie's keynote speakers at her fundraiser for RAAM.  It was a terrific event and, most importantly, raised lots of bucks for Cassie's quest.  You need lots of money to cover all the expenses in a race like this.

It was there that I met Kat.  Kat the crew chief.  Sometimes I think Cassie had us speak just so we could meet Kat and raise my comfort level.  Kat exceeded my expectations and I just knew that she was going to be able to put it all together and take us from Oceanside to Annapolis safely with care and efficiency.  

I'll be convening with most of my mates for this journey shortly.  Kat and Cassie put the team together with skill and a level of wisdom that belies their ages.

It's time to begin putting it all together.

Next up:  Packing it all in