Making Miles Matter
Tax deductible
For every $5 raised, I will bike or run one mile before June 30th, 2018.
May is ALS Awareness Month, and June 21st is ALS Awareness Day. Between May 21st and June 21st, I will be collecting donations for The ALS Association in honor of my late Coach Dave Kinen.
What Is ALS?
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away.
The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their demise. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, people may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe. The motor nerves that are affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle control. Examples of voluntary movements are making the effort to reach for a smart phone or step off a curb. These actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs.
ALS is a 100% fatal disease, and currently there is no cure.
Who Is Coach Kinen?
Coach Kinen was a large part of my life; from teaching physical education my kindergarten year, to track in middle school, and my life mentor in high school. He had an unmatchable ability to motivate and inspire, and remained a constant light through challenging times. January 9, 2009, Coach Kinen was diagnosed with ALS. The words my mother said when she told me still echo, despite not understanding at the time what it really meant. Through his life, he inspired thousands of individuals, and began what became the "Never Quit" movement throughout our community. Despite his physical disability, Coach had a seemingly unbreakable persistence to keep going, an uncanny joy for life, and an unwavering love for others. When walking became difficult, he traded his walks for wheelchair drives to Hy-Vee gas with a Mountain Dew, or to sporting events he had previously coached, to support students he previously taught. When talking became difficult, he fought harder and held conversations about his life, and about the lives of those around him. He was thoughtful. He was engaged. He was compassionate, empathetic, and positive.
Coach Kinen fought courageously, he lived wholeheartedly, and he shared light and love with others until his passing on December 17, 2016. This day and the days following were measures beyond challenging, but the strength he instilled and the legacy he left continue to thrive and grow each day.
Please help me honor Coach Kinen by raising money for ALS so we can beat the sh-- out of this disease.
Coach Kinen Blackout Wrestling Meet, January 2014
May is ALS Awareness Month, and June 21st is ALS Awareness Day. Between May 21st and June 21st, I will be collecting donations for The ALS Association in honor of my late Coach Dave Kinen.
What Is ALS?
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away.
The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their demise. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, people may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe. The motor nerves that are affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle control. Examples of voluntary movements are making the effort to reach for a smart phone or step off a curb. These actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs.
ALS is a 100% fatal disease, and currently there is no cure.
Who Is Coach Kinen?
Coach Kinen was a large part of my life; from teaching physical education my kindergarten year, to track in middle school, and my life mentor in high school. He had an unmatchable ability to motivate and inspire, and remained a constant light through challenging times. January 9, 2009, Coach Kinen was diagnosed with ALS. The words my mother said when she told me still echo, despite not understanding at the time what it really meant. Through his life, he inspired thousands of individuals, and began what became the "Never Quit" movement throughout our community. Despite his physical disability, Coach had a seemingly unbreakable persistence to keep going, an uncanny joy for life, and an unwavering love for others. When walking became difficult, he traded his walks for wheelchair drives to Hy-Vee gas with a Mountain Dew, or to sporting events he had previously coached, to support students he previously taught. When talking became difficult, he fought harder and held conversations about his life, and about the lives of those around him. He was thoughtful. He was engaged. He was compassionate, empathetic, and positive.
Coach Kinen fought courageously, he lived wholeheartedly, and he shared light and love with others until his passing on December 17, 2016. This day and the days following were measures beyond challenging, but the strength he instilled and the legacy he left continue to thrive and grow each day.
Please help me honor Coach Kinen by raising money for ALS so we can beat the sh-- out of this disease.
Coach Kinen Blackout Wrestling Meet, January 2014Organizer
Brittany Stanfield
Organizer
Columbia, MO
The ALS Association
Beneficiary