Race Across America!

I want to introduce you all to a good friend of ours from church - Beth Goldsmith. She is a breast-cancer survivor of just over one year and has been dealing with breast cancer in her family for the last ten years. She has lost her great-grandmother, grandmother and sister to the disease and her mother and aunt are also survivors.

She is an amazing woman for so many reasons, but today I'll take this opportunity just to highlight her determination to not only survive cancer but to thrive afterward and live the best life.

This Friday, Beth begins another amazing journey - the Race Across America. She along with a team of seven others will bike (pedal-push kind, not a motorcycle) 3,021 miles, non-stop, relay style from Oceanside, CA, to Annapolis, MD.

She is riding on a team sponsored by Vera Bradley Foundation who's sole purpose is to race money to fund further research for breast cancer. One of the shirts the Foundation presented to her at a Send-off party on Sunday said, "Me, My Bike, My Cause!" That pretty much says it all.

So far, the team has raised $80,000 for the foundation.
The goal is $100,000 by this Friday. I know they are going to make it - $5 at a time - with help from across the nation and people like you. Will you help? If so, click here. You can read more, track them throughout the next week...did I mention they plan to do those 3,000+ miles in 7 days...and make a donation. Whatever you're able, know it is greatly appreciated and together we can eliminate this disease that affects each one of us somehow. And if you can't give financially, will you please give just a little of your time by keeping everyone involved in your prayers next week - prayers for endurance, safety and thriving, not just surviving.

P.S. We'll be following the race very carefully with some fun reading and activities so check back next week to see what we're learning as we keep Beth, the rest of the team and their families in our thoughts and prayers.