For those of you who don't want to read my ramblings and just jump straight to donations, I won't stop you, you can click here.
I'm going to start this post with H&S's boiler plate on why they think you should donate, then I am going to tell you why I'm riding.
I am writing you to ask for your support for a worthy cause that is very close to my heart. I am participating in the Becel Heart&Stroke Ride for Heart on Sunday, June 1, 2008 and I am trying to raise funds to support breakthrough medical advances, social change and health education.
With your help the Heart and Stroke Foundation can continue to lead the way in protecting the health of millions of Canadians at risk of heart disease and stroke - today, and for generations to come.
Your donation means life to others. With generous donations like yours, the Foundation has achieved:
- Treating and preventing cardiac arrest in children
- Improving prevention and management of high blood pressure
- Fighting to eliminate trans fats from processed foods
Can I please count on your support? Your donation funds results that change lives.
1. Now for my reasons, and I have a couple, some are altruistic and some more selfish. I think the most obviously selfish is that as a Caucasian, young adult, overweight (that isn't the technical term but I'm not talking to the BMI calculator today,) male I'm know I'm in one of the higher risk groups for heart disease. Not withstanding the known family history, and likely hood that the only thing separating me from being in that highest risk group is age, which has an inexorable passage that will place me there soon. So what does that mean? Well as I am fortunate enough to not live in a warzone, or third world nation, the most likely thing to "get me" is heart disease, and so I've decided to take the fight to heart disease. The number one way is whipping my poor body into shape, and the second is through research into life saving treatments through the Heart and Stroke foundation. I figure if we can press this war on a few more fronts we can win this war!
3. Now pure self preservation isn't my only reason for supporting this cause, nor should your own personal self preservation be the only reason, although it is a good reason. A few others include, research, treatments, technology and facilities partially funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation have saved, or extended the life of many people you know and love. In like 10 seconds I came up with a list of five people who I know, and have been the beneficiary of not dieing, and I didn't even try very hard to come up with those names. I'm sure I could hit 25 people if I just thought about it, and I bet all of you could as well. I think beyond being thankful for these people, they are a testament to the efficacy and value of the donations to the Heart and Stroke foundation.
3. Another reason, that is more for me then for you, but I still think is a good point, is that the Heart and Stoke Ride for Heart really helps in two ways, the first is obviously through donations to support H&S Foundation, but the other is reminding folks that one of the best ways to stay healthy is to participate in some activity. Not everyone needs to cycle 50 km to reap the benefits of a active lifestyle, but as fund raising events go, very few actually will have a direct benefit to their very cause like this one, as every participant will be healthier for it, and hopefully the seething mass of people being healthy will catch on to their friends and family and they will all be better off.
4. It is not morally ambiguous, by which I mean, there is no reason to not donate to the Heart and Stroke foundation, no one I know can look me in the eyes and say heart disease isn't a real health issue, and that research and treatment isn't a good thing. (If you do say that to my face, and can keep a straight face, then I worry about you.) This is a donation that will make a change, and you can unequivocally feel good about.
5. Okay, this one is more for you guys then me, but if you like to make me suffer you have to donate. I'm going out there this year to do the 50 km ride, that is double last years. I'm doing it, because I can, and because Erin can't ride, so I'm going to ride for her. Next year though, I'm going to have to decide if I am going to ride 50 km, or the more aggressive 75 km. So here is the deal... If you guys want me to do 75 km next year, then you have to break the the $500 donation goal this year. This is low hanging fruit, we did it last year, with only 3 days notice, so this year I expect you to blow it out of the water.
So there you go 5 reasons:
1. Save your self
2. Save your loved ones
3. Get Healthy
4. Feel good about it
5. Make Geoff Suffer!
Can't argue with those reasons now can you?
So this is the link for the third time: LINK
Get those donations coming in, I will of course email you all with an email similar to this, and I will post my training and donation status up until the race.
Feel free to extort your coworkers and friends as well :)
Geoff
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