Charity: Mustard Seed Food Bank
This month the charity that my wife, Katie, and I are sponsoring is the Mustard Seed Food Bank. As Katie is a member of the Rotary Club of Victoria, we are participating through the Rotary Centennial Cup Polo Match and Tea on Sunday, August 25th, 2013 from 1-4 pm where Rotary is raising funds for the Mustard Seed Food Bank in Victoria.
About The Mustard Seed Food Bank:
The Mustard Seed (www.mustardseed.ca) is a non-profit organization fighting hunger and restoring faith in Greater Victoria. The organisation provides many crucial services for any and all people in need. From food to friendship, the Mustard Seed aims to meet the physical, relational, and spiritual needs of the whole person. They have an active weekday drop-in center that offers all sorts of services such as chapel, hair cutting, nursing, a clothing bank, access to home starter kits, and more.
They regularly serve weekend meals and offer a host of other weekend activities. The Mustard Seed runs the largest Food Bank on Vancouver Island, providing nutritious hampers to neighbours in need throughout the week. Its skilled staff offers advocacy, counseling, addictions recovery and many other resources.
Above all, the Mustard Seed is a place of acceptance and unconditional love. They cultivate a community of compassion where all are welcome. As they fight hunger and poverty together, the staff and volunteers meet their guests where they are at. They strive to break the cycle of poverty in their guests’ lives by offering them a hand-up, reminding everyone of their human potential and worth.
The Mustard Seed list of services is rather extensive and can’t possibly be covered in this blog but check out the website to learn more about the programs they run. Or if you are on Vancouver Island and want a tour, head down to 625 Queens Ave and see what the Mustard Seed is all about. They would love to show you around. (www.mustardseed.ca)
About The Rotary Centennial Cup Polo Match and Tea
With all of the pageantry of one of the oldest and fastest team sports in the world, the event will showcase the passion and devotion of the members of the Victoria Polo Club as they provide us with unparalleled equine thrills at their home pitch on Wallace Drive.
If any readers are around on the day, tickets are on sale through the Rotary Club of Victoria by calling 1-250-590-1215 or emailing aenikma@shaw.ca. There are three levels of tickets available as follows:
Marquee Sponsor Tickets – $100 each – SOLD OUT
Sponsor’s Marquee guests will be seated in the Polo Clubhouse and will be served high tea while observing the match. The ticket price includes valet parking.
Box Seat Tickets – $50
Box Seat guests will be seated under tents along the sidelines of the pitch. Tea and dessert are included and parking is free. These tickets are limited to 96 guests, so please confirm early.
Friends of Rotary, Friends of Polo, Friends of the Mustard Seed and General Admission Tickets – $20
General admission guests will pay $20 per ticket and children under 10 are free. Parking is $5 per vehicle. Please bring your own chairs to watch the match.
Regional Adventures: Florida, United States
One of the many beautiful sunsets in Florida with an airboat!
Florida is a peninsula located in the southeastern part of the United States. It is surrounded on the West by the Gulf of Mexico, on the East by the Atlantic Ocean, the north by Georgia and Alabama. It is the 4th most populous and the 8th most densely populous of the 50 United States. The capital is Tallahassee and the Miami metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States.
Twilight over Miami
Because Florida is a peninsula and surrounded by water it has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States encompassing approximately 1350 miles and is the only state to border both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. All this coastline makes Florida one of the biggest holiday destinations in the United States for visitors from all over the world.
White sand beaches of Destin, Florida
Florida has some of the most spectacular beaches that are available to enjoy nearly all year long due the the tropical climate enjoyed here. Some of the more popular beach locations are Key West, Miami, Destin (famous for it’s pure white sand beaches), Clearwater, and Fort Lauderdale but you don’t have to go to all those beaches to see the beauty of Florida.
Sea Turtles can be seen in the waters of Florida too!
Many times you can just head to the water no matter where you are on the coast and you’ll find a private treasure right there in front of you. Of course while at the beach you can rent jet skis, kayaks, or a boat to enjoy the water and see dolphins, manatees, and other sea life right in front of you.
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is visited by millions every year!
There are so many other things to do in Florida once you’re sunburned and tired of the beach. You can visit Minnie and Mickey at Disney World and watch the fireworks at night. You could visit Everglades National Park and experience the wildlife that abounds there where you can see everything from Alligators, crocodiles, snakes, a wide array of water birds and, if you’re extremely lucky, you might spot one of the only hundred or so Florida panthers that are still in the wild there.
A Florida Panther in typical Florida woods.
Some interesting facts about Florida are that although it is called The Sunshine State severe weather is a common occurrence and Central Florida is known as the lightening capital of United States because it experiences more lightening strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida also has the highest average precipitation in the country due to the afternoon thunderstorms that are common from spring to fall. Florida also gets from 2,400 to 3,200 hours of sunshine annually!
Everglades National Park, Florida
This month’s charity is one that I hold near and dear to my heart because I have been involved with this organization from its inception. It’s the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary in Wesley Chapel, Florida. (CLICK HERE to read my blog about FEBS)
Last year my wife, Katie, and I campaigned for FEBS to get as many of their birds sponsored as we could. Of the twelve birds that were highlighted on the FEBS ‘Needs Sponsorship’ list, we managed to get sixteen sponsored! The twelve on the list plus four more.
Here are some of the little feathered guys that are now sponsored by all of us!
Friends, family and co-workers all chipped in to have their own sponsored bird and be recognized for their contribution. Fortunately we found a few more people who also wanted to be part of sponsoring a special bird too.
And a few more that are now sponsored by all of us…
The Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary rescues birds from situations that range from downright bad to ones that just aren’t working for the owner and the bird for whatever reason. FEBS then becomes for those birds a ‘Forever Home’ where they can just ‘Be a bird’ again!
Many of the birds that find their ‘Forever Home’ at FEBS are not sponsored, meaning that no one is paying for their food, room and board and vet bills. FEBS must find a way to pay for these lovely creatures of nature. This is achieved by reaching out to kind-hearted people to sponsor a bird for a whole year with an option to repeat if wanted.
…and a few more that are sponsored by the group of us!
Now I know it looks like we’ve made a huge difference by getting these sixteen little guys sponsored (and we have) but the truth is that the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary is constantly needing people to sponsor birds. There is a constant influx of birds at the sanctuary plus past sponsors either pass away or can no longer afford to help. When this happens the bird that they were sponsoring goes back into the ‘Needs sponsorship’ category.
Currently there are many birds in need of sponsorship at FEBS so if you feel it in your heart to make a difference for these little guys and you would like to sponsor one, all you have to do is click the link below and you will be taken to FEBS’ secure check out page where you can choose to sponsor a small or a large parrot.
If you would like to pick the bird you want to sponsor CLICK HERE to go to the FEBS website where they list the current birds in need of sponsoring.
This week I entered the high-limit tourney at the Grand Casino Baden and to quote the article on Pokerfirma.com I was “unstoppable”! (Click here to see the article)
Swiss Rock, Grand Casino Baden 2013
When it came to the finals at the CHF 1,650 No Limit Hold’em Tournament there were only 13 of the 48 starters left and I began to pick them off one at a time.
By the time the bubble was burst and six players remained I had become the clear chip leader and then took out Giuseppe Nesci making it all the more clear that the Swiss Rock had no plans of going anywhere but to number one!
Success!
By the time it was heads up play it was only me and Andreas Strangler. Strangler doubled his stack two more times but it wasn’t enough to beat the Swiss Rock. 🙂
The Swiss Rock with Andreas Strangler celebrating!
Ultimately I took the tourney down and took the CHF 24,480 home with me. Here are the 1st – 6th rankings for this tournament:
1st place Jürg Richards CHF 24,480
2nd place Andreas Strangler CHF 15,840
3rd place Andreas Debais CHF 12,240
4th place Jerome JustitzCHF 9,360
5th place Giuseppe Nesci CHF 6,480
6th place Franco Bono CHF 3,600
Not only was the winning wonderful but this tourney also gave me points towards poker tour ranking. You can see my poker ranking on the Global Poker Index by clicking here.
May Showdown At The Rock
The last 2 weeks have been a pretty awesome poker journey for me. I have played the May Showdown at the River Rock Casino in Vancouver and several tourneys in London right after that.
I will not bother you with things such as ‘My aces got cracked twice’, ‘Lost with trip queens’, etcetera but since I have not blogged about poker in quite a while I figured I would give you an update on how I did in the last 15 poker-heavy days.
In that time I played in 7 tourneys. I won two of them, came in second once and 4th once, bubbled one and bust in 2 of them. In addition to that I made oodles of cash in the cash games ($1/2; $2/5; and £5/10)!
Still I do want to mention one hand that I played. It was in the £5/10 cash game. I mention this hand not because it was a dramatic event or a bad beat but rather because I elaborated on a very tricky play to win a pot I could normally never win.
We were 2 hours into the game and so playing styles and pictures from what the players had from each other were well established. There were no crazy or out of line moves happening during that time and at the table there were just solid regulars, a few Pro’s and me! 🙂
I was in the SB and peek down to see two red 7’s. Since it was a limped pot when it came to me I decided not to limp behind, miss the flop and fold. A fold was out of the question as well so I raised 5 times the blind to 50. The BB calls and both limpers fold. It was not the best of all scenarios since I really wanted to take it down right there but so be it. Now I have to still hit my 2 outer, especially when over cards peel off, or keep betting and try to win it with brute force.
The flop comes and it’s 9-9-10 rainbow! Bone dry! I lead out with a c-bet of 80 into the £120 pot. I am out of position (which I hate to be) and effective stacks are 1500.
I get raised right there to 220 which is really no surprise since the BB (a solid regular) knows that I am c-betting this flop with 100% of my range and I know that he knows that and is trying to take this pot away from me (or he’s trying to build a pot right there if he has a monster). I call and we see an inconsequential deuce coming on the river.
The Swiss Rock In The Big Game In London
By now I have the feeling that most likely I am way behind and that he has either a bigger pocket pair or something like A-10 or J-10 (a random 9 is possible but less likely). What now? If I am right I have exactly 2 outs and a standard bet from me will not make him fold any of those hands and a check would leave my ‘children’ out there unprotected in the rain. Then I would have to give up to his turn bet which would be around 300 which would leave him a pot-sized bet to jam the river.
Somehow I have to convince him that I am the one that has a random 9 and made trips (and so far the story I am telling is consistent). A raise pre-flop with something like 8-9 is very likely, flopped the world and called his raise. The only weak element in there is my lead out on the flop since if I had really had flopped trips I might have checked to him. But no story is perfect and I could as well had bet out to build a pot myself.
So I make the most strange and unexpected bet on the turn. I bet 1 single blind of 10 into this already big pot of 560 leaving him completely puzzled and throwing him totally off. My idea is to check the river if he calls and to give up to his river bet. But if he raises me, which is more likely and makes it a proper sized bet for this sort of pot, I will move all-in making it look like I threw out bait to come over the top with my trips (which, of course, I don’t have).
He tanks for about 3 minutes and I can really see that he has no clue what he is up against and that this £10 bet has thrown him entirely off of his comfort zone. That is very good when they have to guess and are in no-man’s land. It definitely raises their willingness to fold (even if they have a monster) as long as they perceive me as a solid player.
When he comes out of the tank he raises me 350 leaving him about 880 behind. Within 3 seconds and without hesitation I jam over his bet and move in with all my chips (over 1000 at this point). Disgustedly he folds his pocket kings face up as fast as I moved in on him, totally convinced that I have trip 9’s!
This gutsy play went really well. If I had bet a standard 2/3 of the pot or so on the turn he would have never folded. This 1BB bet made all the difference and made it cheaper for me to fold if I had to on the river. It might not always work but I gave myself a chance to win this pot with a non-standard play and it is certainly very sweet when it works out exactly as planned.
I showed the bluff and raked in that pot without even having to see the river card. I also got compliments from around the table regarding how well I played this.
Now it looks completely donkish if this play does not work and he calls and I have to fold the river – or even worse, if he calls my all-in for all my money – but as so often in poker when it works it looks like a very sophisticated play that only a few could pull off. This time I was on the right end of the stick! 🙂
What a poker journey that all was too! Truly a May-Showdown for me!
Charity: Dreams Come True
This month I would like to highlight the Dreams Come True charity. I played in a charity poker event in the Vic Casino in London last week where they gave 50% of the prize pool away to the Dreams Come True organization. It was a really cool event to be a part of as well. My wife, Katie, and I also donated to this charity in addition to me taking part in the poker event.
The Dreams Come True charity is an organization who’s mission is to bring joy to terminally and seriously ill children by making their dreams come true! This organization is a children’s charity serving England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. CLICK HERE to go to their website.
Dreams Come True Poker Event, London
Over the last 24 years the Dreams Come True Organization has brought happiness and joy to more than 5,000 children as well as their friends, family and caretakers. They coordinate, organize, fund and often accompany the Dream children in order to make sure that their dream is fulfilled and creates long-lasting memories that they can remember and share with their friends, family, and loved ones.
The Dreams Come True Organization works directly with the children and their families to make sure that whatever that child’s dream is they do everything they possibly can to make it come true whether it’s meeting a celebrity, swimming with dolphins, experiencing zero gravity, having their book published or any of a million other possibilities. Every child is unique so every dream is as well.
The Dreams Come True organization is a very small charity that receives no government funding and relies entirely on their supporters in order to continue granting dreams for these children. This wonderful organization has a waiting list of children that may not live to see their dreams realized so that’s why I am writing to raise more awareness about this charity. It is my hope that some of you will want to support this organization with donations, volunteering or creating a fundraiser for them.
So if you would like to donate to Dreams Come True CLICK HERE to be taken to their secure online donation site powered by Virgin Money Giving.
If you would like to do a fundraising event to raise money for Dreams Come True then CLICK HERE to go to their fundraising and events site.
If you would like to send a donation via mail to Dreams Come True you may send it to:
Dreams Come True Exchange House, 33, Station Road Liphook, Hampshire GU30 7DW EnglandIf you would like further information about the Dreams Come True organization you can contact them via email at Becky@dreamscometrue.uk.com
This month I would like to talk about the Victoria Symphony Splash: Band of Heroes event. This is a “community” sponsored event and this year marks the 24th year that this annual local event has taken place in the Inner Harbour of Victoria, British Columbia. The event this year happens on Sunday, August 4th, and it is one of the charity events that my wife, Katie, and I (click here to go to my Facebook site & click here to go to Katie’s Facebook site) feel is important to support. We love Victoria and everything it has to offer and it’s one small way we can give back to the community here.
Throughout the day of August 4th an appreciative crowd of 45,000 people will flood the Inner Harbour for sponsored activities, food, and music. Symphony Splash is the Victoria Symphony’s gift to the people of Victoria. It is a fundraiser, but as I am sure you can imagine, it is a very expensive event to produce and manage. Production and artistic costs alone are over $150,000 each year. Because of this it is imperative that the Victoria Symphony get the support of the community and local small businesses as well.
Even kayakers snuggle into the harbor to attend Victoria Symphony Splash!
This year when you support the Victoria Symphony as a member of the Band of Heroes you can sponsor a musician – everyone from the conductor to the cannons that they use during the performance. Even if you don’t live in Victoria I think you can absolutely understand how supporting an event like this in your community can help to build a stronger, happier, and more homogeneous city. These are the things that create a tight family relationship in a community and it’s what every community needs!
We are sponsoring the Principal Trumpet this year which is very exciting for my wife as she was not only lead trumpet in High School but also went to the same university, McGill, that this gentleman did. It brings back great memories for her. The principal trumpet for the Victoria Symphony is a gentleman named Ryan Cole and he is new to the orchestra this 2012-2013 season.
Ryan Cole, Principal Trumpet, Victoria Symphony
Here is Ryan’s very impressive biography:
Ryan Cole is celebrated as one of Canada’s fastest rising young orchestral players. Recognized on the national and international level, Ryan’s recent performances include appearing as a guest soloist with the renowned Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal; appearing at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Banff, Alberta; a performance for former U.S. president, Bill Clinton; and a recording project for Editions BIM publishing. He recently completed a season as assistant principal trumpet with the Regina Symphony Orchestra, and has also appeared as guest principal trumpet with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra and many times with the Saskatoon Symphony.
After completing his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 2009, Ryan received his Master of Music degree in orchestral trumpet performance under Paul Merkelo at McGill. Ryan is a passionate soloist, orchestral musician, clinician, and teacher who is comfortable in a wide variety of styles. He strongly believes in making classical music approachable for everyone.
Ryan is also a highly skilled and popular music teacher. He is participating in several of the Victoria Symphony’s education programs this year: Master Classes, Musicians in Schools, and vsNEW young composers program. For more information about these programs, please click here.
One of the music teachers who recently enlisted Ryan to teach her class has this to say:
“Ryan Cole made an excellent mentor to my blossoming trumpet players. They really looked up to him and he provided them with many warm up activities and helped them to improve posture, position, air, and embouchure. In turn they learned to play with a wonderful full sound and with confidence! I will definitely hire him again!” – Amber Aitchison, teacher
This is what Victoria Symphony Splash is all about – the event raises funds to provide local music students with musicians from the Victoria Symphony Orchestra who may not otherwise have access to such quality, dedicated and enthusiastic mentors! Below is great news coverage from last year’s Symphony Splash where you can really see how this affects not only the community but the young musicians and composers that are also involved.
–
If you would like to sign up to sponsor a musician for this great charity event you can CLICK HERE to go to the Victoria Symphony’s website or you can also call Sandy Grayson (Community Relations Coordinator) at 250-412-1977 or email her at sandy@victoriasymphony.ca
You can also follow the Victoria Symphony on their Facebook page by CLICKING HERE or on Twitter by CLICKING HERE.
Charity: The Rainbow Kitchen
This month the charity that my wife, Katie, and I are sponsoring is the Victoria Rainbow Kitchen in Victoria, British Columbia. We chose to sponsor this charity because it’s another way to help support one of the cities that we love and hold dear to our hearts.
We asked the Rainbow Kitchen about their services and how they came about and this is what they had to say.
“The Rainbow Kitchen provides a nutritious, tasty hot lunch meal to approximately 140 people a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. That’s over 36,400 meals a year served in a safe and supportive environment to the poor and marginalized in the local community.
The Rainbow Kitchen started out in 2001 as one church community’s response to filling a need in their wider community for women and children who did not feel safe or comfortable going to downtown food services such as the Salvation Army or the Open Door. It evolved over time into a much broader multi-faith and secular community of volunteers, working together to serve a much broader community of people in need of food and fellowship.
Deborah Hunt, Treasurer, and Garth Walmsley, then President of the Rainbow Kitchen at the opening of the new location at Esquimalt United Church.
People coming to the Rainbow Kitchen for lunch (referred to as guests, not clients) include street youth, seniors on low incomes, single parents, pre-school children, aboriginals, the unemployed, and individuals on social assistance or disability pensions. Some guests describe this meal as their “food security”, knowing they get a tasty nutritious meal with adequate protein, fresh vegetables and salad.
There are no paid staff, administrators or fundraisers – all work is done by 150+ volunteers, who include seniors, retired professionals, shift workers, students, stay-at-home moms and dads, unemployed trades people, individuals with physical and mental challenges.
None of the work of the Rainbow Kitchen would be possible without the dedication and commitment of these volunteers who show up week after week to plan meals, shop for groceries, pick up donated food, peel veggies, chop salads, build casseroles, set tables, serve meals, clear tables, wash dishes and all the little and big jobs that need to get done so the line-up of hungry people at the door know they are loved and valued as our brothers and sisters.
The Rainbow Kitchen has a reputation as being a safe, non-judgmental, and welcoming place for guests and volunteers alike where everyone is treated with respect and valued as “part of the family”. Members of the Victoria Police Department frequently volunteer – it’s quite a sight to see a police officer in uniform, complete with pistol in a holster on his/her hip, wearing an apron and hair net, serving meals to and chatting with the guests. This positive, friendly interaction with local police is an integral part of maintaining a Zero Tolerance Policy of abuse and harassment for everyone associated with the Rainbow Kitchen.
Constable Zeigler of the Victoria Police Department also volunteers at the Rainbow Kitchen.
Many of the “regular guests” are seniors and persons with disabilities whose small incomes barely pay for their shelter requirements, leaving very little to buy food and other necessities. They are on their own without adequate social outlets and would live more lonely, isolated, less healthy lives without the Rainbow Kitchen as a safe and friendly place to come to for interaction with others, and to get a daily nutritious, hot meal. Throughout the year people who have lost their jobs or lost their business find temporary food and social support at the Rainbow Kitchen.
The vast majority of the food served is donated by some very generous and faithful corporate “partners” who provide the Rainbow Kitchen with meat, fish, fresh vegetables, bread, canned goods, dry goods, and coffee. Individuals also make food donations, including a couple who makes a very large apple crisp each week for dessert!
It takes more than food, equipment and volunteer labor to keep the Rainbow Kitchen open. It also takes cash to pay the rent, liability insurance, daily janitorial services, equipment repair and maintenance, telephone, office supplies, gas reimbursement costs, etcetera. The Rainbow Kitchen relies on individual donations and fundraising events. The Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society is a registered charity and can issue charitable tax receipts. Donations can be made online at its website by clicking here!“
In addition to all the wonderful volunteers that make the mission of the Rainbow Kitchen possible, many local groups contribute as well. One of those groups is the Rotary Club of Victoria who recently donated a new van appropriately named ‘Vanessa’.
The Rainbow Kitchen’s Van named ‘Vanessa’ donated by the Rotary Club of Victoria
So now you might be asking yourself ‘How can I help?’ Here are some easy ways to be a part of this great project:
»If you would like to volunteer they are always in need of people to cook, serve, clean, fund raise and more. Click Here to visit their volunteer page for more information.
»If you would like to donate something they are always in need of food or various material items. You can call them at 250-384-2069 for a current list of items that are urgently needed.
»If you would like to donate cash to help them buy food, pay for the rent, utilities and other supplies you can either mail a check payable to:
Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society 500 Admirals Road Victoria, B.C. V9A 2N4»OR you can CLICK HERE to go to their secure online donation page. The Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society is a registered charity and you will receive an official receipt for income tax purposes for donations of $10 and above.
You can also visit the Victoria Rainbow Kitchen’s Website by CLICKING HERE!
Quote of the Day From Patrick Holford
Patrick Holford, Founder of the Institute For Optimum Nutrition
Patrick Holford is the Founder of the Institute For Optimum Nutrition in London and as I was reading from his blockbuster book called ‘New Optimum Nutrition Bible’ I happened across a quote with the definition of insanity:
“To keep doing the same things and expect different results.”
I think it’s good to keep this in mind when doing anything but especially when it comes to nutrition. If you aren’t where you want to be then you HAVE to do something different!
UPDATE: Congratulations Catherine!!
Catherine tasting success!
My wife, Katie, and I would like to offer HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Catherine Luke for not only finishing the Zurich Marathon but also for finishing it within the time allotted by the organizers of 5 hours 30 minutes.
She did this not by running the marathon as most do but by Power Walking which made the time allotted a bit of a challenge. However she met this challenge and beat it by finishing in 5 hours 26 minutes 31 seconds!
Power-walking for charity!
Because of her fantastic accomplishment as well as being true to my word, as promised I will double the amount of money that my wife, Katie, has committed to give to these charities that Catherine picked.
Exhausted but mission accomplished!
Those charities are the following two cancer research organizations – Krebsliga Schweiz (Cancer Research CH) and Cancer Research UK.
Celebrating!!
Catherine wrote about her experiences and impressions of how this marathon was for her and I would like to share her words with you all:
“Well, I did it! Managed a new personal best that was still 3 and a half hours slower than the winner but what the heck! I am the only person to have power-walked the Zurich Marathon from start to finish and that within the 5 and a half hour time limit. My own time was 5 hours 26 and 31 seconds and considering the cold and the hard route I am delighted.
Impressions: Having previously done a marathon for charity that is not a race, but where we have a minute’s silence for cancer sufferers, everyone walks together and there is a lot of laughter and tears, to now take part in a proper race marathon was strange. The camaraderie is between team mates or supporters but not between the participants themselves. I admit to having a tear in my eye at the beginning…I’m doing a marathon for charity but none of the other runners knows and some won’t even care…
I’m very grateful to a friend who was there the whole time with his camera and managed to follow me using trains!! He was a wonderful support!
Would I do it again? A marathon, yes…but I am not sure about this one; it was really cold and the route is very flat, so the lack of variety in elevation made it tough on the joints.
The total amount of donations made by my work colleagues, family, and friends is CHF 2,078. I am very grateful and humbled by the generosity of my supporters!
-Catherine Luke”
Proud of her accomplishment!
Please click on the links below if you would like to donate to either of these fantastic causes on Catherine’s behalf: “Catherine Luke – Zurich Marathon 2013″.
SWITZERLAND: Krebsliga Schweiz (Cancer Research CH)
OR
Zurich Marathon Medal!
If you would like to read the original blog about Catherine and her goal of power-walking the Zurich Marathon CLICK HERE!
The Swiss Rock 