I had a great childhood. I was lucky enough to grow up with parents who not only understood the value of sports and social activities, but had the means to ensure that I was fully involved. From an early age I was heavily involved in both team and individual sports. They never pushed or pressured me, but always supported me in anything I wanted to try. We had a timeshare at Smugglers' Notch in Vermont, which meant that family ski trips were a regular thing. I always played soccer, indoor and outdoor. And when I fell in love with golf at age 10, Dad bought me a set of clubs and a membership at Carleton Golf & Country Club. I even had a short stint as a competitive bridge player - with a trophy to prove it - but we won't talk about that. Bottom line is that I was one of the lucky ones. Not all kids are as fortunate.

Doing something good

Recently, my good friend Chelsea Smith and I went out to lunch. She's also training for Boston - this will be her second time. I picked her brain about the infamous Heartbreak Hill and we discussed our training strategies. We began to discuss how we could leverage our marathon training to support the less fortunate. In past marathons we'd supported the Canadian Cancer Society and the Asthma Society of Canada. This time around we wanted to do something for kids. Local kids. Kids who are not as fortunate as we were. The one's who don't get go on ski vacations or to summer camps. 

 That's why we've decided to support the YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region in an effort to send less privileged kids to camp.

Why camp matters

By giving these kids the opportunity to attend summer camp, we're changing their lives for the better. Camp provides them with the opportunity to experience new things, develop skills, learn about trust, leadership, and teamwork, build strong friendships, foster self confidence, and most importantly, we will be giving them the opportunity to realize their full potential. 

$200 = ONE KID GOES TO CAMP

It's that simple. For every $200 we raise, we get to send an under-privileged kid to summer camp. If we raise $2,000, that's 10 kids to camp. Together, we can change and shape the lives of kids all over the Ottawa region. 

How you can help

There are many ways you can help us achieve our goal. The easiest way is to make a donation. How much? Whatever you feel comfortable with. Every little bit helps. Here are some tips:

• Instead of buying a Timmie's coffee tomorrow morning, donate $2
• Rather than going out for a pint tonight, consider giving $7
• I'm running 42.2 km in Boston, so match me with a $42.20 donation
• Go for the gusto and send a kid to camp yourself for $200

We appreciate any contribution you can make. Don't feel like donating? That's fine. Do us a favour and spread the word. Send this along to your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbours.

You can make a donation here

In the meantime, Chelsea and I continue to train for Boston. With less than 50 days until  the big day, we're buckling down and training our butts off. We promise to give it our all during our training and on race day. It's the least we can do.

Thank you all for your ongoing love and support. We really appreciate everything.