First 5K

Emily and her CFC soccer team ran a 5K together on Super Bowl Sunday.  The girls raised money for refugee families in the New Haven area and it was a great bonding experience.  They were not supposed to actually run - they were supposed to walk it together.  But when the gun went off, they got caught up in the crowd and just started running. So Emily, with no training - and being absolutely furious at me because she thought I tricked her about the running - completed her first 5K in just over 30 minutes.  It was an out and back course, and Emily spent a lot of time yelling at me and trying not to cry, so I think that she could have run a lot faster.  But now she has a 5K under her belt - which is shorter than any race she will run for cross country next fall!  More importantly, she raised more than $250 and her team raised more than $2,000!

Kid and parent runners. 

Rylan and Emily 

The start. 

Run for Refugees

Emily and her CFC soccer team are participating in a 5K on Super Bowl Sunday.  The proceeds from the 5K, as well as the amounts raised by the participants, go to support refugees in the New Haven community.  One of her teammate's parents works closely with this group and it is a worthy cause.  If you would like to support Emily and her team, click here:
https://www.crowdrise.com/fundraiser/campaign-updates/1178188#!/status/1

Walk A Thon

On May 6th, Elizabeth and Emily are participating in a Walk A Thon for their school.  The goal of this event is to raise $20,000 to support new technology for the school.  Most of our classrooms have smart boards and the students all use computers in class (the middle school uses tablets instead of text books!), but the needs and the technology are ever-changing.  The girls are accepting flat fee donations (must be received by 5/6, checks made payable to JPII School) and per-lap sponsors.  Please contact us if you would like to sponsor one or both of them!!!

Bench Press for Breast Cancer

Last Saturday was the 5th Annual Bench Press for Breast Cancer event at The Refuge.  This year, there were a number of new competitors/fundraisers, which was great!  It is so good to see new faces, passionate about this cause.  Thanks to your generosity, we raised more than $375; Lee lifted 400 pounds (with ease, I might add); and all of the lifters combined raised more than $5,000.  It was a hugely successful day, and lots of fun too!

Daughters of The Refuge. 

The Mayor didn't lift this year, but he did stop by to thank everyone and support the cause. 

The mayor has little kids of his own, so when he found this inch worm, he brought it over to show to Elizabeth, Emily and Cassie. 

Drawing the winners for the raffle prizes. 

5th Annual Bench Press for Breast Cancer (several lifters are missing from this photo, including Lee).

5th Annual Bench Press for Breast Cancer

Three weeks from today, Lee will again be part of the Bench Press for Breast Cancer, an amazing event run by our friends Brian and Ninette.  Over the last four years, this event has raised more than $25,000 for the Connecticut affiliate of Susan G. Komen and they are hoping that this year will be their best year yet.  If you would like to sponsor Lee/donate, please click here and make sure to put his name in the comments section.  Last year, we were the top fundraisers, because of your support!  Thank you so much for supporting us this year as well!!

Strong Kids

We are in the midst of the annual community support campaign for the Y and we are again supporting Strong Kids, both with our own donation and our fundraising efforts.  Anyone that knows us knows that we are huge supporters of Camp Ingersoll and the huge impact that it has on the children in our community.  Each and every year, we not only send our girls to the camp, but donate to it and ask our friends and family to as well.  Please consider making a donation through this link and if you do, be sure to let us know!

Elizabeth at the archery range at Camp last summer.

100 Year Anniversary Gala

A couple of weekends ago, St Mary School held the main fundraising event of its 100th Anniversary year, the Gala and Auction.  I was on the planning committee for the Gala and know first hand how tirelessly everyone work to pull of this event, especially the chairperson and her immediate family.  It was a fabulous success, as close to 250 parents, teachers and parishioners attended.  The event raised over $25,000 for the school, which is a spectacular amount.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective, I guess), we did not win anything at the auction - we were shamelessly outbid for front seats for First Communion (twice!), movie night and McDonald's lunch with the teacher.  It was a fabulous "dress up" night of good food, good friends and lots of laughs.

The Crystal Ballroom

Some of the silent and live auction items.

The only picture of Lee and I from the evening - it doesn't even come close to showing how spectacular we looked!!! ;-)

BPBC 2012

The 4th Annual Bench Press for Breast Cancer was held last Saturday and, as usual, the event was a great success.  More than thirty lifters participated and raised money for the Connecticut affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Thanks to your amazing support, Lee and I raised more than $1,100 and were the top fundraisers for the event.  This year, many of our local friends came out to support us and the cause - although personally, I think that they just wanted to see Lee lift in person! 
As for the numbers - Lee is training for a competition in late June, so he treated the event as light training and lifted 315 lbs and 345 lbs.  I prepared a great deal and did my best to listen to Lee's advice - I ended up lifting 85 lbs, 100 lbs and then 115 lbs, a new PR for me.  Next year, I want to do 130 lbs....but we'll see about that.  Thanks again to everyone that supported us and this event!

The girls. 

Maureen - opening bench of 85 ponds. 

Lee smiling - a rare gem. 

Lee putting up some light weight. 

Maureen - 115 pounds (thanks Courtney!).

The girls holding our Top Fundraisers trophy. 

Colin, Erin and Emily. 

The family that lifts weights together.... 

My sister came down to bench! 

Almost all of the BPBC lifters.

Bench Press for Breast Cancer

We are once again participating in the Bench Press for Breast Cancer event on May 19th at The Refuge, raising money for Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  This is the fourth year that our friends Brian and Ninette have organized this amazing event and we are proud to not only be supporters, but participants - both of us!  As you know, Lee is a nationally ranked powerlifter, so this type of charity event was basically made for him; this year, however, he challenged me to step out of my comfort zone as a runner and participate as well, and I took him up on it (Lord help me!!).  In addition, I am also a co-chair this year, helping Brian and Ninette organize and run the event.  Last year, the lifters at BPBC raised $10,000, which is simply amazing.  Together, Lee and I have already raised more than $500 and we hope to raise $1,500 before May 19th.  Thank you to everyone that has already stepped forward to support us and support this great event - in particular, the Savini, Latronica, Forget, Harris, Sumpter, and Heidorn families, as well as several of my co-workers, who simply shake their heads at me and hand over their money!  If you would like contribute, please click here and be sure to put either or both of our names in the comment section (the link brings you to a general event fundraising page).  And for those of you that are local, we'd love to see you there (email me for more info)!  There will be a DJ, plenty of raffle prizes and the chance to see some serious powerlifters (many of them nationally ranked, state record holders and national record holders) do their thing.

Strong Kids

Each year, Lee and I use our blog to do a little bit of fundraising for a few causes that are near and dear to our hearts.  So here we go.
Last week, our local Y kicked off its annual Strong Kids Campaign.  Not only were all four of us present for the Kick Off event, but I was asked to speak about the impact that Camp Ingersoll has had on our family.  What I told everyone gathered was how Camp literally changed Elizabeth - from a shy and timid little girl (that cried at drop off for the first month of school each year) to an outgoing and confident little person, who is afraid of nothing.  And how, two years later, we watched Emily morph into a confident little person as well, after her first summer at Camp.  We will forever be grateful to Camp for the amazing impact that it had - and continues to have - on our girls.  Elizabeth's and Emily's experiences are one of the many reasons we are so passionate about raising money for scholarships for Camp Ingersoll.  If Camp can have such an amazing impact on our girls, who have just about every advantage and opportunity you can imagine, just imagine the impact that it has on underprivileged kids!!  Kids whose parents can't afford to send them to any camp; kids who don't get the chance to swim during the summer; kids who don't get the chance to interact with positive teenage and adult role models.  Two weeks at Camp literally changes those kids lives.  So, once again, we ask you to join us in changing the lives of children in our community.  Click here to donate online and make sure to note our name and/or email on the form so that we can properly thank you for your generosity.  Last year, Lee and I raised enough money to send 5 kids to one two-week Camp session, which is an amazing accomplishment.  With your help, we hope to do the same again this year.
You can read more about this year's community campaign here.

Strong Kids

Today, the YMCA begins its annual Strong Kids Campaign.  Each year, our Y provides more than $300,000 in financial assistance to families in our community.  Since 2008, Lee and I have been part of the Y's fundraising campaign and over the last three years, we have raised close to $15,000,due to the generous support of our friends and family.  As most of you know, the Y is a huge part of our lives.  While we have always been supporters of its programs and efforts, two years we were literally stunned by the impact that Camp Ingersoll had on Elizabeth.  During four weeks, spread out over the course of the summer, Elizabeth changed into an outgoing and confident little girl.  Lee and I credit her smooth transition to kindergarten almost completely to her Camp experience.  And that, of course, let us wondering if Camp could result in such amazing changes in our little girl, imagine what it could do for the underprivileged children in our community.

                                                        

Click here to donate to the 2011 Strong Kids Campaign, and drop us a note (or leave a comment) when you do.  No donation is too big or too small; the life changing impact of the Y, however, is enormous.

3rd Annual Alliance Against Cancer

On Sunday, September 12th, the NH Athletic Alliance held the Third Annual Alliance Against Cancer 5K and it was a huge success.  The number of runners continues to grow every year and this year, we were thrilled to see so many family and old friends present.  Two of my former high school track teammates were there and did awesome - BJ finished third overall and Kristi won our age group!  We also had many family participants - my sister Kathleen ran (more on that later), as well as Alison and Seth, and Natalia, just a few weeks shy of delivering her third baby, walked the 5K pushing Nolan and Lucia in the stroller!  Uncle Chip, Aunt Denise and Aunt Sylvia were also there to cheer on everyone.  Elizabeth ran the kids race, along with Nolan and Emily from NH.  And our amazing friends and family helped make us the top fundraiser for the second year in a row - donations were literally rolling in while we were driving up to New Hampshire on race morning, it was great!  Thank you so much to our friends and family for making this race such a success (more than $10,000 raised overall) and for supporting a truly wonderful cause!

Seth, Kathleen, Alison, Maureen, BJ, Kristi and Chris pre-race - MHS classes of '80, '92, '93, '95 and '01 represent! 

David addressing the runners prior the start. 

Maureen near the finish - my sister Kathleen is about four runners back.  I point that out, not to brag that I beat her, but in sheer humiliation.  Kathleen is training for the Chicago Marathon and ran 22 miles less than 24 hours before this race.  She then caught me around 1.5 miles and proceeded to yell at me encourage me to pick up the pace, berate cheer me into running faster, finishing hard, etc.  Thanks to her, I had a new PR (24:39).  I had a kick at the end that allowed me to pass her, but she is, quite simply, a rock star.  Superwoman.  Unbelievable.  Oh yeah, and 13 years older than me.

Natalia finishing the walk, pushing Nolan and Lucia.

Elizabeth and Emily from NH, pre-race.

Elizabeth, coming down the home stretch!

Nolan, finishing up his first race. 

Emily and Elizabeth with their (chocolate) medals.

Maureen and Kristi - we finished second and first, respectively, in our age group.  In the spring, we will be teammates again when, along with Alison and 9 other women, we participate in an overnight, 200 mile relay together!

One Week to Go

A week from today is the third annual Alliance Against Cancer 5K in Manchester.  You still have time to sign up to run or walk and can also sign up at Milly's Tavern on the morning of the race.  There is also still time to donate - we were the biggest fundraisers for this event last year but so far, I am falling short of my goal.  Thank you to everyone that has donated so far - and for those of you that still want to donate, click here or on the link on the ride side of the page.  Thanks!  And see you Sunday!!

Alliance Against Cancer

The third annual Alliance Against Cancer 5K will be held one month from today, on Sunday, September 12th.  This road race was created by David and Cheryl's former running club, the Athletic Alliance, in honor of David's love for running and his ongoing battle.  This year's event will include a 5K walk and run, as well as a little kids' race (400 meters).  I am running the 5K again this year and Elizabeth is excited to run the kids race.  We invite you to join us - running, walking, kids race and/or cheering - on Sunday, September 12th at 9am at Milly's Tavern in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Click here to register for the 5K.
The race organizers have against challenged participants to raise money for patient services and cancer research at Dartmouth Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center, located at CMC in Manchester.  If you would like to contribute, please click here - no amount is too small or too big.  Thanks to those of you who have already donated and who will donate in the coming month and to all of our friends and family who will be joining us on September 12th!

Ethan and Elizabeth show off their ribbons after the 2009 kids race.

Bench Press for Breast Cancer

About a month ago, we told you that Lee was participating in a Susan G. Komen fundraiser called Benchpress for Breast Cancer.  The event was yesterday morning and it was an amazing success.  In it's first year, the event raised about $2,000; this year, BFBC raised more than $7,000, with contributions still coming in after it ended!  It was a such a unique way to raise money and it was so much fun to watch.  Each participant had two lifts - as explained the me, the first lift should be something that you could do three or four times; the second lift should have been difficult, or perhaps a PR.  Surprisingly, when everyone was done with their lifts and all of the awards and raffles were handed out, they offered a third lift, but you had to go for a PR.
This is a part of Lee's world that I don't pry into, and I don't want to embarrass him, but I was blown away by his strength.  To set the scene, Lee weighs approximately 190 pounds.  His first lift was 365; his second lift was 405.  And then, after that, he came back about ten minutes later and successfully lifted 410 pounds, more than twice his body weight.  He had the third highest bench of the day, but the guys that lifted more were easily 100 pounds heavier and a foot taller.  It was impressive.
In addition to his lifts, Lee did a great job raising money - through our blog and Facebook posts, he raised over $500, almost every donation coming in $20-$25 increments and many from people he hasn't seen in years.  Great job Lee!!!  We are very proud of you!  More photos here.

The event was held at The Refuge. 

An example of some of the stuff they lift there. 

   

Letting the girls handle some weights. 

A budding weight lifter? 

My new favorite picture of my man. 

His wrist wraps. 

The girls, watching with Grammy and Grampy.

Getting ready for his first lift - his true, genuine smile is how I know that he's in his element. 

Making 365 pounds look easy. 

The event organizer, Brian LaPila - this picture does not do justice for how huge he is. 

Lee makes 405 look easy too.

Yeah! 

Getting ready for the third lift. 

Mentally preparing... 

Pushing up 410.  I know that it doesn't look like he's going to make it here, but he did - I don't have a picture of the completed bench because I was too nervous - not that he would get hurt (there were three spotters for every lift) but that he wouldn't make it.  He did.  Again, it's pretty difficult to lift a PR, after putting up only a few pounds less a few minutes earlier!! 

Happy to be done.