C-Different

At the risk of ending up in copyright court, I’m going to steal a chunk of C Different’s February newsletter…’cause I think it’s the coolest thing I’ve read in a long while:

22 financial grants were mailed out this month to respective blind athletes throughout the country. Each of the grant recepients had to meet certain qualifications in order to receive their grant. But most importantly, they each had to display the C Different credo, “Inspire, Educate, Change.”

We are proud to support some wonderful blind athletes throughout their 2008 journey. Here are a few examples of athletes whom we are supporting.

Justin Grant and Kyle Coon plan to use their grant to purchase climbing equipment to assist them on their journey to climb Mt. McKinley.

Mycell Armington plans to use her grant to help her train and be ready to complete her first triathlon with C Different.

Nancy Stevens plans to use her grant to put on a 3 day Tri It Camp in Glenwood Springs, Colorado in order to teach blind women how to become triathletes, while simultaneously teaching sighted women how to become guides.

Adrian Brocaplans to use his grant money to defend his title at the Boston Marathon as overall champion of all blind runners.

Thomas Wolfe is a world champion blind snowboarder who plans to use his grant money to educate blind athletes through his winter sports programs.

When I first learned about C Different, I really only knew about their work with triathletes. But now I know that they do so much more. Their credo is “Inspire, Educate, Change”. I can say, I’m the one being inspired, educated, and changed!

Mike

A funny thing happened on my way to Boston

When I finished IronMan Couer d’Alene last year, I expected that April 21, 2008 would be my return trip to the Boston Marathon…but this time as a competitor. While at Boston University a brzillion years ago I soaked in the race, and this year was supposed to be my turn to run.

But then over the summer I did an open water swim in a race that had a guided blind athlete competing. Long story short, I’m going back to CDA this year in support of the C Different Foundation and their exciting work for blind athletes. (There’s a link to C Different’s web site over on the right side of this page.)

So Boston will have to wait until next year. And yes, in case you’re wondering about the title of this blog – the Western States 100 will slide another year.