Remember that blog I wrote about my Dad? One of my fondest memories of growing up with him as my Dad was from when I was about five years old. He was still in school, finishing up his teaching degree. He held down a couple of jobs to make ends meet, and I remember riding in the child seat on the back of his Takara 10-speed street bike and the city bus all over the city of Ann Arbor. One of the jobs he had was working at an adult foster care home. I remember going and playing games with all of the residents at the home, so from a very young age it’s been normal for me to be around people with disabilities. A few years ago I was helping pastor a church, and there were several of us to started reaching out to people on the streets in the Heartside District. We fed them hot dogs, but more importantly we built relationships with people who struggled with addictions, homelessness, and disabilities. Some of the relationships from those streets turned into other opportunities to help…by offering a bed to sleep in for a few weeks, or a chance to sit around my dinner table. We’ve had addicts and prostitutes in our home, sharing a meal or staying in the guest room the night before their flight to long-term rehab.
As I’ve learned more about Hope Network, I’ve seen more and more how they are an organization that is a great fit for me to raise money for as a Fifth Third River Bank Run Road Warrior. I relate very well to their mission and vision because of my heart for those who face challenges that I don’t in life. Even my line of work now, working for the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, puts me in touch with many who are disabled and in recovery. Four or five years ago, however, I didn’t have two little girls running around the house. It was a lot easier to invite people into our home. I used to scoff at those who simply threw money at organizations like Hope Network thinking they had done their part in helping. In a lot of ways I became self-righteous, thinking because I actually opened my door to people that society wouldn’t, that I was better. Now, I realize that there are people out there who know much better how to work with people in recovery than I. Or, I don’t know the best way to approach someone who’s suffering from a spinal cord injury. Not that I don’t have something to offer them, but I understand more today than I did back then the importance of supporting an organization like Hope Network financially.
So, here it is. This is your opportunity to join me in supporting Hope Network. I’m running 15.5 miles on May 12, 2012. Between now and then I’ll run somewhere around 500 miles. The important thing to remember is that when you support Hope Network, you’re giving someone the opportunity to rise above their disability and succeed in life. Giving is easy. Simply click here, and give. You can do it online, it’s tax deductible, and easy. If you want to get creative with it, you can give a dollar or two or 10 for every mile I run on May 12, 2012. Or, you can give a dollar or two or 10 for every training mile I run (I promise I’ll be honest). It doesn’t matter how little or how much you give, but give. And, just in case you don’t want to scroll up four lines, here’s the link again: Give to Hope Network.
