A quick wrap-up report from Lone Star

More details to follow. Here's the quick and dirty.

Campaign results: Our North Texas Team raised more than $175,000 for much needed blood cancer research.

Event results: Everyone from our team finished their respective races. I completed my Half Iron Man distance in 6:16:02.

We did it! Thanks to all of you for supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thanks for your encouragement in this triathlon effort of mine - it means a lot to me.

Fundraising update: $2,842

Wow, I'm very thankful for the response to the St. Paddy's Day appeal! We had about a $500 day. Truly awesome. Thanks to all of you who have supported The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - many of you for the second year in a row!

I'm officially square with Team In Training - having met my minimum fundraising amount. I'm just shy of my goal of $3,000 and it's not too late to make a donation!

If no stragglers make up the difference, I'll find a way to get across the line. I'm not going to finish a Half Iron Man and then not hit the fundraising goal. That's no way to cap a season that began in September!

Again, to this season's donors, thanks for all your support! It truly means so much to me and especially the Society...

Fundraising closes March 18, add your support now

Where has the time gone? The proverbial finish line is near.

So many people to thank... (Fara, I will have a card coming to you in Portugal very soon!).

If you want to help us reach our goal of $3,000 for this season - we are within reach - you can donate securely online via the season-two fundraising page.

Every little bit helps.

The most generous way to spend a Saturday night...

...and still get to drink beer!

Come to the Fort Worth TNT Team Fundraiser at the legendary Rahr & Sons Brewery.

The evening will include:

• The ambiance of the working Rahr & Sons brewery
• Local beer, on-tap, no limit, all night!
• Raffle prizes
• Live music
  
• A silent auction with lots of donated goodies from local business, sport tickets, gift baskets, and on and on...

Cost: $20/person at the door, or buy tickets from me in advance (write "Jonathan Goodman" on the back of the ticket and I'll get credit toward my fundraising goal).

Saturday, Feb. 9th
7-10pm
Rahr & Sons Brewery Company
701 Galveston Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76104

Fundraising Update: Half Way There!

Thanks to a combination of generous donations from friends and family and a bit of volunteer work, we're half way toward reaching our Season Two fundraising goal of $3,000.

Thank you all!

To donate online, visit the Team Goodman fundraising Web site!

Check your Inbox

My first email message and fundraising appeal launched today. Check your Inbox. Since I'm using a professional email service (VerticalResponse) you may need to check your junk mail folder as well. Such is the nature of email...

If you did not get the email and would like to be added to my list, add a comment to this post, send me an email, or use the sign-up form to the right.

Thanks for your support!

P.S. Making a charitable donation was among the top 5 tips for reducing your 2007 tax burden according to the NBC Today show this morning, December 11, 2008.

The Rev James Grace runs for autism, son

[this letter is reprinted with permission by my friend Jimmy Grace - please consider extending your support]

Dear friends and family,

I am running in the RUN FOR AUTISM on January 13, 2008 in conjunction with the Chevron Houston Marathon.   Aside from training over the past few months and the next two months to come, I have decided to turn my sweat and blisters into something really meaningful.  I am contacting you to help me raise money for autism research.  To learn more, please visit my Web page http://www.firstgiving.com/jamesgrace .  My fundraising goal is $3,000.00.

I am dedicating this run to my oldest son, James, who was diagnosed with a form of Autism earlier this year.  I am running in the hopes to raise money for the Organization for Autism Research, a national non-profit organization that funds research and resources for individuals diagnosed with autism and their families.  Your pledge of support will help individuals whose struggles often exist outside the spotlight of society. 

Please consider sponsoring me in the RUN FOR AUTISM.  Every donation really does make a difference.  To find out more about the Organization for Autism Research, please visit their Web site  www.researchautism.org

Please forward this message to friends and family who might be interested in helping.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Peace,

Jimmy

The Rev. James M.L. Grace
Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
9600 South Gessner
Houston, Texas 77071

Season Two: The Fundraising Plan

I just learned that our Winter team has already raised $29,588. Sadly, Team Goodman has not contributed to the team total... yet!

Here's my plan for hitting my goal of $3,000. The total will actually be a mix of real money and "credits" I get for volunteering. I figure the smart folks at TNT/LLS know what they're doing and the credits support the cause nearly almost as much as cold hard cash.

The plan for your review:

Fundraising Goal	$3,000
Source:	Planned amount to be raised:
Local business donation	$700
Volunteer credit	$1,300
Friends & family donations	$800
Personal donation	$200 or whatever is left over!

In Season One - I relied heavily upon Friends and Family, and everyone came through in amazing fashion. My two sisters, my mom, dad, aunts, uncles, family friends, co-workers, former co-workers, college friends, Fort Worth friends, fraternity brothers, and even some people I have never met in person who are friends of TNT/LLS and supporters of the cause all made generous donations.

In Season Two - I really want to diversify and work hard to get a few local businesses to pony up. I figure my increased calorie intake during triathlon training alone is benefiting the local economy. They really should give back. I'll keep you all posted here.

Share your thoughts on this plan (and feel free to make a donation!)

All the best...

Casino Night, Friday, Nov. 9th

Attention all gamblers and charity-minded silent auction fans!

The North Texas TNT group is sponsoring "Casino Night" at the La Cima Club, Las Colinas, from 7-11 PM, Friday, November 9, 2007.

You can order tickets online.

I also have advance tickets in my hand - so you can buy from me directly.

Of course, all proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Tickets are $40 each or $75 for two.

A few more reasons to come out for Casino Night!

1. Great for a date night!
2. Silent auction includes sport tickets and other super cool stuff!
3. You or your honey has a reason to pull that favorite cocktail dress out of the closet.
4. Guys, you can act out your James Bond fantasies and order a drink "shaken not stirred."
5. Did you think I was going someplace else with that James Bond thing?
6. Did we mention all this fun supports the fight against blood cancers?

For your consideration: A new season with TNT

I'm sharing my thoughts about committing to a new season of training and fundraising with the North Texas Team In Training. For anyone reading this blog, I'd love to hear your thoughts, perspectives, stories or advice on making this commitment. Be forewarned: Should I commit, it won't be long before I'm back asking for your support!

Serious consideration...

TNT is a big commitment for every participant. It supports a great cause. It demands the support those closest to me and it involves my asking nearly everyone I know to lend their financial support.

Connecting everyone to the cause...

The cause is always there, in the background, during every Saturday morning training and during the exciting moments in which we cheer fellow teammates across the finish line. TNT walks the line of educating without preaching and of exposing the issues without forcing the issue. I want to be able to do the same. I want to learn more about how this disease comes about and how medical science, patients, non-profits and the rest of us each play our various roles to combat and win battles against these cancers. I hope to provide some level of amplification for the message coming from patients, medical science and the non-profit groups like LLS in support these groups.

Connecting supporters to the journey...

Is there something compelling for all of us about dozens of regular folks embarking on endurance sports training in support of cancer research and patient care? I think there is.

I'm trying to envision effective ways uncover and report on the stories and the underlying personal narratives that push forward these long seasons and huge efforts - and not my own primarily - so that everyone involved gets a bit more out of this wonderfully crazy concept of "saving lives one mile at a time."

Selfish reasons...

I want to train and complete a Half IronMan distance race. I would go back to the LoneStar Triathlon in Galveston.

I have a borderline obsessive interest in new media (Web logs or blogs, podcasting, and other social media) and I want to use fundraising and training with TNT as an excuse to experiment in and produce these new media, not just consume them as I've been doing.

December 2007 will mark our third year in Fort Worth. We're still relative newbies in this town and in North Texas and TNT gives us a great way to participate with and contribute to the local community.

While I don't have a personal story of a loved one or immediate family member with a blood cancer, LLS leads an important front against caner in general; and the odds suggest that either I or someone close to me will battle cancer in my lifetime and I want to get a head start in that fight!

What do you think?

A "break" in the action

I fractured my right wrist this past Sunday while trying very hard to work on my trail riding skills on my mountain bike.

Mountain biking is not on our triathlon training schedule - but it offers one heck of a great cardio work-out.

Mike W. (fall participant who is crazy-close to hitting his fundraising goal) and I headed out to Sansom Park in Fort Worth, where the local mountain biking association is doing an excellent job of developing a superb trail. It offers plenty of challenge for a novice level rider like me, and technical runs, drops, and climbs for Mike and his ilk.

On our second loop of the morning, I tumbled off the trail and landed hard on my wrist. It's minor and will heal well- you might barely notice the hairline on the big bone.

I'll be off the bike and out of the pool for 4-6 weeks.

25 More People Doing a Very Good Thing

I'm serving as a mentor for the Fort Worth Fall Triathlon Team - currently comprised of about 25 wonderful people from Fort Worth and the surrounding area. I've the honor of personally working with a group of these individuals as their mentor. I can only state that they are very remarkable people; I'm here as a cheerleader mainly, and I'm here to offer support and encouragement throughout the season.

You can read about each of them, and their personal journeys and their progress via their fundraising pages:

• Michael Williams
  
• Kelly Long
  
• Sean Galaise
  
• Nancy Miller
  
• Jennifer T. (update: dropped)
  

I encourage you to support any one of their efforts as you can, and to help spread the word.

Pictured above: The Team pauses for a group thank you for our "honored hero" Maura.

Campaign Update & Lone Star Event

A more complete update with pictures and such will come, but here's the quick update.

We hit our fundraising goal in the final week! Team Goodman supporters hit the $3,000 mark plus a bit! The North Texas team (both Dallas and Fort Worth) raised over $140,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I finished the Quarter Iron Man race and achieved my personal goal of completing it in under three hours. (You can check my times, type in Bib # 560 into the Quarterthon results page).

Our team did great! We all had a blast, are proud of our effort, but also humbled at the opportunity to serve a great cause and for receiving so much support from friends, family, and colleagues.

Thank you all again for your support!!

Used Cell Phone Collection

Send us your old cell phones!!*

They are worth a bit of money (up to several dollars per phone) and you can offer them as a donation to LLS. A big box of phones will take me one step closer to my fundraising goal.

Send your phones to: Deirdre Goodman, 2800 Covert Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76133.

Or if you're in the North Texas area - we'll come pick them up!

*Note: you need not send chargers, adapters or any accessories. No manuals, no original packaging, no SIM card. Just the old phone - that's it!

Volunteering at the 1st Annual Double Play Duathlon

TNT Participants can earn up to $300 in volunteer credit to support their campaign. Still having credits available, I woke up early on Sunday (truly no rest for the weary!) to arrive at the Rangers Ballpark at Arlington (just renamed from Ameriquest Field), home of the Texas Rangers, by 6:00 AM to volunteer at the Double Play Du.

I'm learning about how this business of stages races operates. It's a pretty cool little economy.

Race production companies partner with hosts and event sponsors, many of which have a charitable mission. For example, $10 of every entry fee of the Double Play Du goes to support the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation.

The production companies can keep a lean staff, because they work with TNT and other groups to provide volunteers for when they most need help - race day. I get credit toward my fundraising goal. Athletes get a well-staffed event which means a safer and more enjoyable time for all.

A good deal all around.

Dave Ramsey's baby steps

If you've never experienced the Dave Ramsey phenomenon via his daily radio-talk show, or best selling books, you can check him out on his Web site.

Deirdre and I were given an opportunity to see Dave live recently in Dallas. Dave has a lot of great things to say. You really can't argue with the guy actually.

What struck me was his "baby steps" that challenge people to take ideas and put them into practice. It's one thing to know, quite another to do, as we all know who have read self-help books, diet books, exercise books, or even cook books.

Dave is all about getting it done.

Baby step one: "Put $1,000 away form an emergency fund"
Baby step two: "Pay off all debt using the 'debt' snowball"
Baby step three: "Three to six months of expenses in savings"

Find steps 4-7 here: http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/index.cfm?intContentID=2867

Back to step one - Dave also added these fundamental principles of money management

1. You must SAVE money
2. Pay yourself FIRST
3. Give, save, then pay BILLS

While we may see a tension between giving and saving here, Dave's reminding us that it's good to give, right to give, healthy to give, even or especially for those who have the least to give. Give to your community, your church, your favorite non-profit.

Giving aligns the giver and her resources with the world around her. Cool stuff from Dave!

Fundraising Update: Six Weeks to Go!

Team Goodman crossed the $1,000 mark today in funds raised for LLS. Our goal is $3,000 before the end of March. Thanks to my big sister for tipping us over into the four-digit territory! (ok, so immediate family - check; aunts, uncles and cousins, I'm coming for you too!)

I'm also working on corporate and local business donors. If anyone has ideas are ways to help spread the word, please don't be shy.

Here's the secure online donation site just in case you lost it.

For those of you we've expressed your intent verbally to support my campaign for LLS, now is the time!

Thank you all again. I'm off to SPIN class. Training update to come too... lots of good stuff to report.

Americans are anything but cheap

This is the ultimate conclusion reached by John Stossel in a recent ABC News 20/20 feature entitled "Are Americans Cheap? Or Charitable?"

We Americans get a bad rap because the American government gives away less of a percentage of GDP than many other countries. However, according to the report, private charitable giving, even giving directed to overseas charities, more than makes up for the gap, and makes America the most charitable nation on Earth.

I learned in my college history classes that one of the defining characteristics of American society is our history of voluntary association. We associate in communities, churches and congregations, businesses, clubs, sports teams, fraternities and sororities, non-profits, and often community aid and other organizations with a charitable mission. And we pony up real money to support these organizations and to fund our own voluntary association and that of others.

For all of our collective faults as a country, we do have a lot to be proud of, and a real legacy of positive contribution to continue.

I guess this 20/20 piece reminded me why I give, and why I often find myself asking others to give as well. We have to ask. And when asked, we do, despite popular opinion to the contrary, respond.

Thanks to all you givers out there!

Fundraising begins

Saturday was Day 1 of my fundraising appeal.

My big sister and my best man stepped up first! Thank you! Thank you!

Former Dell colleagues and fraternity brothers added support too. Thank you! Thank you!

A great start the fundraising effort with over $200 raised since Saturday.