Marching
for Mentors 2005
Gary
and his three kids marched across the state of Minnesota,
the long way. Their trek started June 3rd in Brainerd
and headed North to International Falls. After seeing
the Canadian border they took the motor home south to Iowa.
Near Albert Lea they started to walk back home. Making
a stop at the State Capital to visit with the press and
area legislators about mentoring. Gary, Reggie15,
Cassie13, and Jackson11, arrived back in Brainerd on June
23rd, having walked 435 miles to complete the third year
of adventures working to raise money and awareness for Kinship
Partners and Mentoring across the state. Along the
way we were helped by many wonderful people from many Kinship
programs statewide. It is because of all the help
we received that we were able to complete this trek, even
with severely blistered and tired feet. Well, actually
only Gary had the bad feet and was tired. The kids
were just bored at times having to walk 20 + miles and typically
close to 10 hours a day.
In
all we Marching raised over $16,000 and more interest in
mentoring.
Perching
for Partners 2004
Living
24/7 on a the historic Brainerd water tower may sound like
a boring time but 2004 adventure was anything but boring.
Sleeping in a pup-tent 100+ feet up on the 29" walkway
on the tower in downtown Brainerd was more than interesting.
Then the trip down the 109 steps to get a hot shower and
a bathroom break before climbing back up was an adventure
everytime it took place. The majority of the time
was spent perching on the metal 4 foot by 8 foot platform,
reading a book, or answering emails. But most of the
time was spent waving down to the vehicles that honked non-stop
on Washington or 6th. People of our area are so great.
They made me feel terrific, just sitting and waving.
It was not the physical struggle biking across America was,
but it had an incredible feeling and view of the Brainerd
Lakes area. It felt like the line from Titanic at
the front of the ship when Leonardo yells, "I'm King
of the world." Boring, far from it. Memories
I will carry forever.
Our
goal this year was less about funds and more about more
mentors. I was to live on the tower until we raised
20 new mentors.
When
I climbed down the 109 steps for the last time, it was day
9 of living on the Tower. Our area had over 40 new
people wanting to be mentors and raised over $14,000.
Wow.
Miles
for Mentors 2003
This
was the first year of what would become and annual tradition
of craziness. Oh but Kinship is such a great program,
and even middle aged over weight guys should be allowed
to have as much fun as kids do.
Our
trek started in early June in New Orleans. Craig,
my older brother and the one who looks from the pictures
to be in much better shape and I, left New Orleans with
just the items we could carry on our bikes and headed for
Brainerd. The weather was in the upper 90's and I
can't even remember just how humid it was. Our first
day was riddled with flat tires, alligator sightings and
the question from the locals we stopped and chatted with,
"Did you make that bike?"(The accent was very
heavy).
After
1545 miles and a 19 1/2 days we arrived back in Brainerd.
Thinner, tanner, in better shape and proud to be allowed
to raise money and awareness for Kinship Partners.
As this was our first year we raised just over $10,000.
And depending on the perspective started a wonderful tradition
of adventures for Kinship.
Stats:
Averaged over 80 miles a day and the longest day was 116
miles.
517 4th St. NW