Well, as some of you may know (either by reading my blog or by having the absolute privilege to know me in person) I am just 2 ½ weeks away from running the 2005 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. All my bitching about lame Friday nights (there is a limit to the joy one can get from a weekend routine of pasta-run-sleep-repeat) and long lonely runs in the crappy weather aside, I am actually really fired up for this marathon, mainly because I am running with the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund’s Marathon Team. Along with my uncle and aunt, we will be running to raise money for Marines and sailors injured while on duty, and running alongside us will be a number of Iraq combat veterans, including three permanently injured Marines, who themselves are raising money for the Fund.
This one’s not about politics, guys. Its just about helping out some people who could easily just fall through the cracks.
The Marine Corps goes above and beyond to support Marines and their families, but there are limits to the amount of funding available to accommodate the families of injured Marines. Often times injured Marines are recovering in hospitals far from home, with stays that can extend for months and rehabilitative care for years. The travel costs alone for a family to visit their loved ones in hospitals can be extensive, and additional immediate expenses can include, childcare, mortgage payments, or lost income. In addition there can be long term needs such as ramps, vehicles, and special accommodations to homes so that disabled combat veterans can live outside of a hospital setting. Funding for these needs is not always readily available, and this is where the Fund steps in to help. To date, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund has had over 1,100 cases and given more than $1.9 million in grants to these wounded heroes and their families, allowing for the families to worry less about finances, and focus on recovery.
This organization holds special meaning for my family and I, as we lost a beloved family member in Iraq. If you’d like to support us in this cause it would be wonderful. You will be assisting many brave Americans who can easily be forgotten. All donations are tax deductible and a donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated.
If you’d like to donate, you can visit the Fund’s website at: http://www.semperfifund.org.
Thank you for your support!!!
