Running for L.A.C.E.S.

Well, the Running for a Reason Campaign officially kicked off on August 1 so for the next eight weeks I'm trying my hand at fundraising. Honestly, it's a little nerve-racking for this chic who still considers herself an introvert at the core. But I'm doing it anyway and it'll be an adventure to see what happens next... L.A.C.E.S. is the first of many organizations I hope to support through my running (don't worry, they won't all be fundraisers!). Below is the letter that I sent out to some of my friends and family.

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I can never guess, when I first meet someone, how that person will change my life. It was summer 2009, and I remember seeing Kevin Fryatt walk up the sidewalk and to the path that leads to my door. It was his first time attending the weekly small group that meets at my house. From the beginning, he fit in as if he’d been with us for years. It was Kevin who brought the DVD that first introduced us to L.A.C.E.S., the organization founded and operated by his then-fiancée-now-wife Seren. My heart was on fire as I watched the DVD—the kind of fire that warns me change is coming.

L.A.C.E.S. stands for Life And Change Experienced thru Sports; it’s a soccer league that uses biblical values to provide mentorship for Liberian children and strives to combat the various effects of the unsupportive upbringings and environments many of those children have endured. The organization is Seren’s heartfelt response to the needs she witnessed while living in Liberia for six months in 2006. The country was then just three years into the process of picking up the pieces after a long and bloody civil war that left more than 200,000 people dead, and a generation of children with no fathers to raise them. Since its beginnings in 2007, L.A.C.E.S. has impacted more than 700 people in Liberia, and its influence continues to spread.

A lot has changed since my first introduction to L.A.C.E.S. in 2009. For one thing, Seren and I have become friends. We’ve shared road trips, bonded over the ups and downs of self-employment, and enjoyed several outdoor adventures together. I’ve also had the chance to participate in a couple of her fundraising events, to learn more about Liberia, and recently, to met James, the L.A.C.E.S. Liberia director who was visiting the U.S. for the first time in April 2012. At every turn, I’ve been impressed with L.A.C.E.S. and the people who support it, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the difference just one person can make in the lives of so many.

So I am excited to make L.A.C.E.S. the first organization that I’ll be supporting through my running. My next marathon takes place on September 30, 2012 in Corning, New York. My goal is to raise $2,620.00 by race day—get it? 26.2 miles = $2,620.00! :), and I’d be thrilled if you are able to help me reach that goal. You can sponsor me for a full mile by donating $100.00 or you can just give what you feel impressed to give. 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to L.A.C.E.S., as I am covering the entry fee and travel expenses of the race out-of-pocket.

Donate online at http://www.lacesport.org/gracebrown or write a check payable to L.A.C.E.S., with “Running for a Reason” in the memo and mail it to L.A.C.E.S., 4319 West Clara Lane # 193, Muncie, IN  47304. You can also find out more about L.A.C.E.S. by checking out their website at www.lacesport.org.

Stay in the race,
Grace