Call for Donations to FANS Scholarship Fund

In 11 days, I’ll be running in the FANS 24-Hour race.  You may recall I also did this race last year.  I’ve done it a total of 11 times, if you include the 6-hour and 12-hour races.

Last year, FANS was my “A” race for the year.  I registered for the walking division, and I spent nearly a year training for it.  My goal was to walk 100 miles in 24-hours.  I did it, but it was probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.  This year, my goal is much softer.  I haven’t really trained for a 24-hour race, but I need just 66.5 miles to join the FANS “1,000 Mile Club.”  I’m registered for the 24-hour race, but my plan is to run long enough to get to 66.5 miles.  Then I’ll stop.  If all goes well, it’ll take me 13 or 14 hours.

The race is a fundraiser for the FANS project, which works with middle school and high school students in Minneapolis.  Their mission is to give these students a better chance of success by teaching them important life skills and encouraging them to stay in school.  Here’s a link to a page that explains more about the FANS project:

http://www.fans24hour.org/about-fans.html

I’ve been doing the FANS races off and on since 1998.  When I’m not running, I’m usually crewing or volunteering.  I always make a donation to FANS, and I encourage my friends to do the same.

As a participant in the race, I had a choice of paying an entry fee or raising at least $250 in donations.  I opted to raise money, but I want to make it clear, that I’m not asking anyone to make a donation just so I can run a race.  I’ve already made a donation that covers my fundraising commitment.  I’m asking my friends to make donations, because I believe FANS is a good cause.

The costs associated with putting on the race are covered by the event’s sponsors.  One hundred percent of your donation will go toward college scholarships for students graduating from the FANS program.  Donations are tax-deductible.

Here’s a link to my FANS fundraising page.  You can pledge a certain amount for each mile I run, or you can donate a fixed amount.  For what it’s worth, my stated goal is 67 miles.

https://go.rallyup.com/me/f7f2e8

Please consider making a donation to the FANS scholarship fund.  Thank you.

One other note:  The websites above might say that the races are being held at Snelling Lake in Fort Snelling State Park.  That's the usual location, but flooding in the Minnesota River valley has forced a last-minute change of venue to Normandale Lake in Bloomington.

Request for Donations to the FANS Scholorship Fund

Next weekend, I’ll be doing the FANS 24-Hour Race.   This race is a fundraiser for the FANS scholarship fund, and I’m asking my friends to make donations.

FANS stands for Furthering Achievement through a Network of Support.  It’s a program of Pillsbury United Communities.  FANS works with middle school and high school students in the Pillsbury and Phillips neighborhoods of Minneapolis.

Students in this program are counseled to avoid gangs, drugs, violence, and other counterproductive behavior.  Instead, they’re taught that they can have successful lives, but they have to be responsible for their own success.  They’re encouraged to stay in school and have a plan for getting a job.  They’re also taught things like goal-setting and leadership skills.  The aim is to take students in troubled neighborhoods and give them the guidance they need to become successful responsible adults.

As an incentive, students who participate in the FANS program through high school are offered college scholarships.  It’s not a free ride, but it’s enough money to help them get started.

The FANS race was originally organized in 1990 as a vehicle for raising donations to fund these scholarships.

I want you to know that I’m not asking you to make a donation so that I can do a race.  I had a choice of paying an entry fee or pledging to raise at least $250 in donations.  I opted to raise money, but immediately made a $250 donation myself, so the minimum fundraising commitment has already been met.  I’m asking my friends to make additional donations, because this is a cause I believe in.

The FANS race is put on by volunteers.  All of the costs of putting on the race are provided by donations from corporate sponsors.  100 percent of the money raised by race participants goes toward the FANS scholarship fund.  Donations are tax-deductible.

I first ran the FANS 24-Hour Race in 1998.  Since then, I’ve been there almost every year, either running, crewing for friends, or volunteering.  I always make a donation.

In the past, each race participant would turn in pledge forms with the names and contact information of their sponsors, who could either make a fixed contribution or pledge so much per mile.  After the race, each donor would be contacted by the race staff to remind them of their pledge.

Now they’ve made it easier.  You can go directly to the FANS website and make a donation by credit card, using a secure web page.  There’s a field where you can type in the name of the runner or walker you’re sponsoring.

Please consider making a donation to the FANS scholarship fund.  I’ve donated $250.  Can you give $25?  Here’s a link to the donation page on the FANS website:

http://fans24hour.org/sign-up--donate.html#!/Supporting-a-Runner-or-Walker-Submit-a-Donation/c/14762020/offset=0&sort=priceAsc

Click on the amount you want to donate and you’ll be taken to a page where you can type the name of a race participant.  Please type my name, David Holmen.  Then click on the Add to Bag button and proceed to checkout.  When you’re done, you get an email receipt.

Thank you in advance for supporting the FANS scholarship fund.