One of our best friends is crazy. Yep. He’s crazy. But we will support him every step of the way. Here’s the letter we received from him:
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Dear Friends, Colleagues & Family:
I have decided to do something crazy for a good cause and I need your help. On June 14th, I will attempt to run an ultra-marathon on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in Western PA. The race consists of 70.5 miles of trail running on rugged terrain with many elevation changes. I have 22 hours to complete the course, which starts next to the Youghiogeny River in Ohiopyle and finishes in Johnstown, PA. If I am fortunate enough to finish the race, some of the highlights of the trail include crossing over the highest point in PA, running up and down the slopes of Seven Springs Ski Resort and unfortunately going over the PA Turnpike all while running on a very rocky, single track course for 70.5 miles.
Why you might ask? One, I am crazy and I like to see how far I can push my body. Two, I want to raise money for a good cause that is close to my heart, the American Diabetes Association. There are 20.8 million adults and children in the United States who live with diabetes including my grandmother, college roommate and several colleagues. I also lost my father-in-law to complications from diabetes several years ago. Have diabetes present on both sides of our family significantly increases the chances of my children developing the disease. It is one of the fastest growing diseases in the United States, but the generosity of donors can continue the efforts to search for a cure, help people live with diabetes, and invest in the health of future generations.
What can you do? I am looking for people to sponsor me per mile. For every mile that I complete, you would pledge a specific monetary value. If you pledge, for example, 20 cents per mile and I finish the race, you would donate $14.10 to the American Diabetes Association. What are the chances that I finish the race? I have never run a race longer than 5K so I am not really sure. There are so many things that could go wrong in the course of 22 hours, but having the incentive of raising money for a good cause will be a huge motivational factor to press on.
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I TOLD YOU HE WAS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!! If you are interested in sponsoring Chalkie (as we affectionately call him) please email me with your name and pledge. Remember, ALL DONATIONS GO TO THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION.
If you’d like more info on the race, go to www.laurelultra.com.
Thanks for reading,
Cyndi
draw the winner out of a hat. Congratulations to Carrie Kutney for winning an 11×14 Fine Art canvas of her choice!! 
