That’s right, I am lacing up once again. I know the caption may seem a little extreme, but when faced with desperate situations it sometimes requires desperate measures.
I certainly don’t have to tell anyone how tough things are. It is in the headlines every day! At least for most businesses and individual households there are discretionary expenses that can be cut or eliminated to ride through the rough times.
Unfortunately, that’s not true for Why Me, the non-profit I co-founded (and run as a volunteer Executive Director) with my daughter Sherry shortly before she lost her battle with cancer. Since that day in 1985, Why Me has been primarily run and operated by volunteers with the help of a very small paid support staff. We have been extremely diligent in operating it with no fat or excess.
In fact, for the past 23 years approximately 90% has been spent only on direct expenses that support the children and their families. And that is where the problem lies. The only cuts I can make to stop our losses are to reduce core support services. How do you cut from essential needs of children? But with an $80,000 deficit last year and facing over a $50,000 deficit again this year, that’s exactly what we may be forced to do unless we get support from people like yourself.
With decreased contributions and increased needs, it is easy to see where the losses have come from. We now have approximately 375 families that are part of our programs throughout Massachusetts, the immediate surrounding states, and as a result of Sherry’s House overnight facilities, from many other states across the country and even from Vancouver, Canada. I have enclosed a map showing the local area’s our families are from. No doubt there is one or two in your business or home community.
I simply can’t let the kids down! So I decided to participate in three running events to help raise the needed support to fund part of Why Me’s daily operations. I will be running in the Falmouth Road Race on August 10th, the Newport, RI Marathon on October 18th and the Bermuda half-marathon in January 2009 and I am looking for your financial support to encourage me each step of the way.
Page Two
The truth on the numbers in the reference on page 1:
• I am actually 55 and will be 56 for Bermuda’s event.
• It is only 46.4 miles that I will be running.
• I am deadly serious in raising the $50,000.
And for that, we need you and your friend’s generous support. Please pass along the word and do whatever you can to help. Contributions can be mailed to:
Why Me
1152 Pleasant St
Worcester, MA 01602
Or contribute directly on-line at www.whyme.org. Please indicate it is to support Terry’s 50/50/50 run for the kids.
On behalf of myself, the kids and their families, and all of us at Why Me, I want to thank you for your support and encouragement.
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