I am writing this today with mixed emotion. It’s been almost 1 month since completed the 4th Maryland Trek and I was thrilled to keep the good will going.  But with the barrage of major hurricanes hitting Texas and Florida in the past few weeks, it was hard to focus on anything else.

Keep on Trekking is a metaphor for life and I think it fits perfectly here. The Maryland Trek has been filled with obstacles beyond the environment. That is on top of the physically challenging task of hiking and biking a minimum of 41 mikes each day for a week.  I started this in 2014 to share my childhood illness story and to honor children in the Cool Kids Campaign organization that are currently battling or have already won their fight against cancer.

Group Effort From Friends

This shirt was an idea from my friend Jess Beach, and a design completed by Ali von Paris. I got my friend and crew chief Larry Rogers one for his birthday, and both of our families wore them as we chased the total solar eclipse in South Carolina right after our trek ended. We embraced the message that no matter what, we must keep on moving… with a positive goal in mind.

How could I possibly sell shirts when there are people who lost everything and only have the shirts on their back?

My plan was to use the proceeds of these shirts to offset the expenses we had for our trek team. We raised over $37,000 (with more still coming in).

I had a good heart to heart talk with my friend Sharon Perfetti, co-founder of Cool Kids Campaign. We figured it would be much better if we could support a sister charity in the hurricane affected regions. We know about homes and businesses damaged and destroyed. The despair left behind and even pets that are now homeless. But how about charities for children fighting cancer? That pediatric battle doesn’t go away!

So, we decided that the proceeds of these Keep on Trekking shirts and bracelets would be redirected to something more important right now. On behalf of Cool Kids Campaign, we will be raising money  for The Ronald McDonald, earmarked for the hardest hurricane affected areas.  A charity helping another charity in more need. What could be more noble?

So I ask you to help be part of this with us. I can’t wait until we can get to more fun stuff, like snow and FITF again. But I don’t want to give up on this idea or opportunity.

Your order will be handled and processed by my friend Patty at The Maryland Store. Thank you for your support and I hope the universal message in this cool design is something you will wear proudly.

 

Keep on Trekking

Continue to be part of our Maryland Trek and help all of us at Cool Kids Campaign pay to forward to those that are even in more need.

 

 

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