Tomorrow, March 31, 2012 is the last day that Mountain Rose Herbs will be matching, dollar for dollar, all donations received by McKenzie River Trust. It's a great time to donate and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!
If we cross the $2000 dollar mark on Timmy's campaign before the month ends, I promise to post about a recent partnership between McKenzie River Trust and one of my favorite craft brewers in the country!
Showing posts with label Mckenzie River Trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mckenzie River Trust. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Cougar Reservoir
One look at the beauty of the reservoir in the summer, and it's easy to see why Tim loved being out here.
Not only are you completely surrounded by incredible beauty and lush greenery... but...
There is also mud to play in (don't worry, ATVs are allowed here).
Anyone who has known me since I was a kid, knows that I am a big, nerdy, geeky, nerd-geek. My sister and I used to go on the go-carts at amusement parks, and I would slow down because I was afraid I would crash around the corners. Growing up, my brother and Tim went bungee jumping, and everyone knew that was something I could never do.
Then one day a friend somehow convinced me to go skydiving. And I did. And my life changed. Next thing I knew, I was riding ATVs with Tim, and stuck in the mud in the picture above.
We did have a lot of fun there...
and Tim did pull me out of the mud, just as he pulled out everyone else who ever went with him, and anyone he met along the way. Somehow he never managed to get stuck, and always managed to be there to help, or to retrieve someone from the bottom of the mountain. After all, he loved the river, and he wanted everyone else to be around, to experience it, and to love it too.
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| Tim and I after a fun day at the reservoir |
PS - We're about half way to the new fundraising goal, and your donations to McKenzie River Trust will still be matched in the month of March, so it's like getting double for your money when you DONATE.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Big News!
First, congratulations to everyone who has donated, and pushed us over the $1,000 goal. Anyone who knows Timmy, knows that enough is never enough, and that you always take the next step. To that end, I have updated the goal to $100 per mile - a total of $2620 - so we can keep those DONATIONS coming in!
PS - McKenzie River Trust has a matching gift campaign going on in March. It's not directly related to my run, but all donations they receive, including those they get through our marathon site (up to an overall Trust total of $5,000), will be matched by Mountain Rose Herbs. That means that every dollar you donate will bring $2 in benefits to the Trust. So if you like a deal, double your money before March 31!
And McKenzie River Trust deserves congratulations as well... on March 1, they announced the protection of the Coyote Spencer Wetlands. Wetlands, apparently, are often compared to coral reefs or rainforests for the diversity of life that they support, because they are exceptionally productive ecosystems, with a huge variety of plant, bird, and wildlife species. For example, bear, mountain lion, bobcat, deer, and elk have all been seen in the wetlands. The Trust posted on their website that "Our newest protected landscape, the Coyote Spencer Wetlands, is a testament to your past gifts." The money we raise in Timmy's memory will help them continue their mission to protect these and other lands in Western Oregon, and I am so happy to be able to report the good news of their acquisition of this new property!
PS - McKenzie River Trust has a matching gift campaign going on in March. It's not directly related to my run, but all donations they receive, including those they get through our marathon site (up to an overall Trust total of $5,000), will be matched by Mountain Rose Herbs. That means that every dollar you donate will bring $2 in benefits to the Trust. So if you like a deal, double your money before March 31!
And McKenzie River Trust deserves congratulations as well... on March 1, they announced the protection of the Coyote Spencer Wetlands. Wetlands, apparently, are often compared to coral reefs or rainforests for the diversity of life that they support, because they are exceptionally productive ecosystems, with a huge variety of plant, bird, and wildlife species. For example, bear, mountain lion, bobcat, deer, and elk have all been seen in the wetlands. The Trust posted on their website that "Our newest protected landscape, the Coyote Spencer Wetlands, is a testament to your past gifts." The money we raise in Timmy's memory will help them continue their mission to protect these and other lands in Western Oregon, and I am so happy to be able to report the good news of their acquisition of this new property!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
LEAP for Joy!!!
Happy Leap Day!
I just watched as my fundraising campaign crossed the $1,000 mark, which is the goal I set. I'm so thankful for everyone who has donated so far, and everyone else who still might.
I'm not surprised that we made it to the goal - as Tim touched every single life he touched. I remember this past July, when I was helping my mom out with various things, I met and unfortunately had to break the news of Tim's passing to his tax preparer, and she began to cry. Come to think of it, I don't think there is anyone in Tim's life who wasn't brought to their knees by word of his illness and passing.
I was surprised that we got here so quickly. I was shocked to see that instead of a bunch of $5, $10, and $20 donations, that I saw several people donating $50 or more. People really loved Tim. Everyone I have spoken to has confirmed that they think the McKenzie River Trust is a great representation of Tim's love and what he stood for, and I hope that we can give even more to support their conservation of the rivers.
I want to leave you today with a fun story relating to a leap, and another one of my cherished memories of Tim.
For those of you have have never moved furniture on a semi, you might not know the value of ramps. Whether loading or unloading, we always have to slide ramps up to one of the doors on the trailer, so that we can carry things onto and off of the truck. Simple enough, right? Well, not quite. First off all, connecting the two sides of the ramps can be a little frustrating... but the real problem is lining up the truck doors to the ramps, so that that the path between the house and truck are as clear as possible. In order to get the right alignment, we lay the ramps down approximately where we want them to line up, and then Tim backs up the truck, while watching us in his side mirror, and we tell him to keep going or to stop when the door gets to the right place.
Sorry for the digression and impromptu lesson in ramps, but you really have to understand the process to understand the story. I'll always remember one day In Georgia, we were preparing to unload the truck. We lined up the ramps and Tim hopped in the truck to back it up. In order for him to see me in his mirror, I placed myself at the far end of the ramps, waving at him to continue backing up. I waved and waved (you all know the motion you make when you're trying to help someone parallel park), looking from the truck door, to Timmy in the mirror, and back.
Next thing I know, I'm looking over the top of the truck. It's over 13 feet tall, and I had a line of sight clear over the top. In case you were curious, I am not superman, and I cannot leap tall buildings in a single bound. How then, did I leap higher than a semi? And how did it happen without me wanting it to happen?
Well, I was focused on the door, and on Tim. He was focused on me. Neither of us was focused on the truck's rear wheels, which ran over the near end of the ramps, catapulting me into the air unexpectedly.
As Timmy flew out of the truck to make sure I was okay, he told me that, suddenly, he could only see my shoes where my face had been. We both started laughing, and (sensing that I wasn't hurt), he asked me the question that was always on the forefront of his mind: "So... are we ready to start working?"
I just watched as my fundraising campaign crossed the $1,000 mark, which is the goal I set. I'm so thankful for everyone who has donated so far, and everyone else who still might.
I'm not surprised that we made it to the goal - as Tim touched every single life he touched. I remember this past July, when I was helping my mom out with various things, I met and unfortunately had to break the news of Tim's passing to his tax preparer, and she began to cry. Come to think of it, I don't think there is anyone in Tim's life who wasn't brought to their knees by word of his illness and passing.
I was surprised that we got here so quickly. I was shocked to see that instead of a bunch of $5, $10, and $20 donations, that I saw several people donating $50 or more. People really loved Tim. Everyone I have spoken to has confirmed that they think the McKenzie River Trust is a great representation of Tim's love and what he stood for, and I hope that we can give even more to support their conservation of the rivers.
I want to leave you today with a fun story relating to a leap, and another one of my cherished memories of Tim.
For those of you have have never moved furniture on a semi, you might not know the value of ramps. Whether loading or unloading, we always have to slide ramps up to one of the doors on the trailer, so that we can carry things onto and off of the truck. Simple enough, right? Well, not quite. First off all, connecting the two sides of the ramps can be a little frustrating... but the real problem is lining up the truck doors to the ramps, so that that the path between the house and truck are as clear as possible. In order to get the right alignment, we lay the ramps down approximately where we want them to line up, and then Tim backs up the truck, while watching us in his side mirror, and we tell him to keep going or to stop when the door gets to the right place.
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| Me in the Truck |
Sorry for the digression and impromptu lesson in ramps, but you really have to understand the process to understand the story. I'll always remember one day In Georgia, we were preparing to unload the truck. We lined up the ramps and Tim hopped in the truck to back it up. In order for him to see me in his mirror, I placed myself at the far end of the ramps, waving at him to continue backing up. I waved and waved (you all know the motion you make when you're trying to help someone parallel park), looking from the truck door, to Timmy in the mirror, and back.
Next thing I know, I'm looking over the top of the truck. It's over 13 feet tall, and I had a line of sight clear over the top. In case you were curious, I am not superman, and I cannot leap tall buildings in a single bound. How then, did I leap higher than a semi? And how did it happen without me wanting it to happen?
Well, I was focused on the door, and on Tim. He was focused on me. Neither of us was focused on the truck's rear wheels, which ran over the near end of the ramps, catapulting me into the air unexpectedly.
As Timmy flew out of the truck to make sure I was okay, he told me that, suddenly, he could only see my shoes where my face had been. We both started laughing, and (sensing that I wasn't hurt), he asked me the question that was always on the forefront of his mind: "So... are we ready to start working?"
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Mighty McKenzie
There was recently a substantial amount of rain in Oregon, and my mom took the opportunity to go check out the high water levels of the McKenzie. Her dog Missy seemed pretty excited about all the sound and fury of the river!
Seeing like this is a pretty stark change from the image of lazily tubing down the river, like Tim liked to do in the summer, and it definitely is a reminder to respect the power of the river, and the importance of McKenzie River Trust's protection of river land and floodplains (and the beach). If you want to help, and support my fundraising in Tim's memory, make sure to check out the DONATIONS page.
Seeing like this is a pretty stark change from the image of lazily tubing down the river, like Tim liked to do in the summer, and it definitely is a reminder to respect the power of the river, and the importance of McKenzie River Trust's protection of river land and floodplains (and the beach). If you want to help, and support my fundraising in Tim's memory, make sure to check out the DONATIONS page.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Introduction.
I lost my stepfather on July 9, 2011. He died after a sudden and short illness that included liver failure and cancer. Although I live in Washington DC and he lived in Eugene, OR, I was able to spend much of his final two months with him. Throughout that time, he was sometimes in better condition than others, he seemed to come into and out of awareness. He was only 52 years old. The highlight of the last few weeks with him, if such a thing could exist, was the 4th of July. Most of his family visited, we spent time together, there were fireworks, and he seemed genuinely happy. It was one of the last times he would seem to be in a normal mental state, aware of the situation and also able to talk to each of us.
This year, on the 4th of July, I will be running the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon. When I signed up, I knew I wanted to raise money for something in his honor and memory, but it wasn't immediately clear what that would be. After some soul searching about Tim, I decided that his love for the McKenzie River would guide my choice, and I reached out to the McKenzie River Trust. After sharing our story, the trust agreed to accept any donations I could generate as a tribute donation in Tim's memory.
I have two major goals: The first is to raise $1,000 in memory of Tim for the McKenzie River Trust. I think their work to conserve the beauty surrounding the river is a cause that Tim would have supported with all of his heart. The second is to run a personal record marathon time. Actually, to shatter my current record of 3 hours and 39 minutes, running closer to 3 hours flat, and qualifying for the Boston Marathon. This blog will be my way to track both goals, and interim goals as I progress. Please check out the links to the McKenzie River Trust and my donation page on the left, and thanks for any support you can give.
-Steven
This year, on the 4th of July, I will be running the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon. When I signed up, I knew I wanted to raise money for something in his honor and memory, but it wasn't immediately clear what that would be. After some soul searching about Tim, I decided that his love for the McKenzie River would guide my choice, and I reached out to the McKenzie River Trust. After sharing our story, the trust agreed to accept any donations I could generate as a tribute donation in Tim's memory.
I have two major goals: The first is to raise $1,000 in memory of Tim for the McKenzie River Trust. I think their work to conserve the beauty surrounding the river is a cause that Tim would have supported with all of his heart. The second is to run a personal record marathon time. Actually, to shatter my current record of 3 hours and 39 minutes, running closer to 3 hours flat, and qualifying for the Boston Marathon. This blog will be my way to track both goals, and interim goals as I progress. Please check out the links to the McKenzie River Trust and my donation page on the left, and thanks for any support you can give.
-Steven
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| Tim at Sahalie Falls with Missy |
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