# Running for a Cause



## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

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*What should I do?*

Donate to the Boys and Girls Club225.00%Donate to people with mental illnesses 225.00%Donate to Both450.00%Don't bother trying to raise money00.00%


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## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

Hey guys, 
So, I am running the 2011 Boston Marathon which is April 18th and I originally was running for a charity for disabled adults and children and was doing so because my brother has Down Syndrome. They cut me from the team because of a record number of qualifiers. I think it is ridiculous because my family has done so much for them for so long and I know I am deserving of a spot especially because I was promised one in early October. I am still going to Run the Marathon and am looking at other charities even though theyre all full. So I had an idea. I could raise money for my own charity and just do it all unofficially. This may not be aloud but I am going to do it anyway. One thing I would like to raise money for would be The Boys and Girls Club because I have worked there for about 3 years and they are in desperate need of money. The other idea I had was to raise money for people with mental illnesses. I was also thinking I could just split the total earnings and divided it between the two. I have a facebook page of my supporters and I'd love to have more people join! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zach-for-2011-Boston-Marathon/124966374223697 please let me know what you think! I have a lot of supporters now and I have the potential to raise a lot of money but I would love some more support from you guys!

again the page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zach-for-2011-Boston-Marathon/124966374223697


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## EverDream (Dec 15, 2006)

Just 4 people voted till now, including me, but it's interseting that all of us voted for "donate to both". You would think that people suffering so much from all kind of mental problems will vote only for "donate to mental illness", because it seems like a higer purpose for us comparing to a club we don't even know. It just shows the ability of people here to look through other person feelings. That's why I like you guys. you are thoughful and caring.

Oh, and good luck to you ,lamZach, with the Marathon!


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## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

It shows a lot that you guys are willing to help out others when you are suffering and are in great need of help. I too have the same mind set. Even though everyday is such a huge struggle for me I always put my kids at The Boys and Girls Club ahead of me. This is what makes us strong and able to conquer this!

Thank you I am really looking forward to this challenge!

Please vote and comment to let me know what you guys think! I have had Chronic DP for just under 8 years and really want to do something positive to help others in my situation! So, If you could encourage people to either vote, comment here, or join my facebook page that would mean so much to me!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zach-for-2011-Boston-Marathon/124966374223697 this is my page and I really want to hit over 500 members soon so I can start fundraising for this cause!


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## Minerva8979 (Jan 30, 2010)

I think this is amazing! How did you even get into stuff like this? I voted for donating the money to the boys and girls club, because I know that will have a more immediate impact on the wellbeing of those kids lives. As opposed to donating the earning to "mental illnesses" which is such a broad scope. I feel that realistically, donating most, if not all the earnings to the first club would be more beneficial, but thats just my opinion.

Good luck with your rogue marathon!lol


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## EverDream (Dec 15, 2006)

IamZach said:


> It shows a lot that you guys are willing to help out others when you are suffering and are in great need of help. I too have the same mind set. Even though everyday is such a huge struggle for me I always put my kids at The Boys and Girls Club ahead of me. This is what makes us strong and able to conquer this!
> 
> Thank you I am really looking forward to this challenge!
> 
> ...


Ok, now I curoius. What is "The Boys and Girls Club"? lol


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## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

EverDream said:


> Ok, now I curoius. What is "The Boys and Girls Club"? lol


lol it's an after school program for kids. It's targeted for low income families and we have an academic center, a games room, an art room, a computer room, a teen center and we share our gym with the town. I am the gym coordinator and a run a small youth group within the club for 11-13 year olds. The kids come to us because their parents usually work late jobs if they work at all and they are also there to stay out of trouble and off the streets. Also there is usually only one parent in these families so in a way we are apart of these kids families because we are with them every weekday and we are all very close. right now there are about 200 members in the club and it is growing everyday. It is an amazing place but we don't have very up to date stuff within the club and there is very little money that comes in. it only costs $25 per child for a year to come to the club.

here is a link to our club. http://www.bgcmetrowest.org/main.asp?id=6


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## EverDream (Dec 15, 2006)

IamZach said:


> lol it's an after school program for kids. It's targeted for low income families and we have an academic center, a games room, an art room, a computer room, a teen center and we share our gym with the town. I am the gym coordinator and a run a small youth group within the club for 11-13 year olds. The kids come to us because their parents usually work late jobs if they work at all and they are also there to stay out of trouble and off the streets. Also there is usually only one parent in these families so in a way we are apart of these kids families because we are with them every weekday and we are all very close. right now there are about 200 members in the club and it is growing everyday. It is an amazing place but we don't have very up to date stuff within the club and there is very little money that comes in. it only costs $25 per child for a year to come to the club.
> 
> here is a link to our club. http://www.bgcmetrowest.org/main.asp?id=6


Wow, that looks like an amazing place! I see those places as so important.

Last year I volunteered to something called "Perach"(initials of "Mentoring Project" that also gives the word flower in Hebrew. It's for students in the uni). You dedicate 2 hours a day, 2 times a week, for a kid that usualy comes from a family with problems. This project also have lots of Teen Centers that we can come and do all kind of cool things. They have speical parties for the holidays. And in the end of the year there is a HUGE fair for all the kids. The project monitor you and the kid too to see if everything is going well. It's a really good project. I enjoyed it very much (it's also a voluntreeing scholarship so I got some moeny too). I spent way much than the 2 hours each time. I saw it as more important than anything else in my wasted life anyhow lol. I wanted to join this year too but it didn't go well with my schedule. Also, I feel so dead inside, so even I cared intellectual so much for the kid, I felt NUMB inside and I had to fake emotions and enthusiasm and happines all the time, and it was very hard and tiring.

Here is a link to Perach: http://www.perach.org.il/Perach/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=2&TMID=10000&FID=317


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## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

Yes these programs are so important! Aw that looks like an awesome program too! thats great that you put in more than 2 hours! I love my job but i do have to fake the enthusiasm all the time because of the way i feel







. but there are def days when the kids bring me so much joy and my DP isnt on my mind.


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## IamZach (Dec 5, 2010)

So I was recently accepted to run for Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress and I am so excited! I'm not just excited because I made it on a team but my older brother David has Down Syndrome so this means so much to me and my family. I am required to raise $5,000 in order to compete and I am a bit overwhelmed with it but I know I can do it! The money goes to research and to help provide services for people with Down Syndrome. If you could donate to the charity for me or let people know that can donate that would mean so much to me and my family especially my brother David! You can donate to my page by clicking on the following link.
http://mdsc.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=442937&lis=0&kntae442937=CA9C7166365D4211968E8021943043F0&supId=317824737

Thank you so much! 
-Zach Sannicandro


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