Catholic and Enjoying It!
My buddy Glenn Cooper writes:
Please see below from my dear friend, fellow Navy fighter pilot, and devout Catholic, CAPT John “Chucker” Spear, USN (ret).
John’s wife, Mary, is passionate about helping our wounded vets. To that end, five years ago she ran fifty(!) miles on her fiftieth birthday to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Absolutely amazing.
Well, a couple of weeks ago she topped herself by running 55(!!) miles on her fifty-fifth birthday. The event was hugely supported by the military services in the Virginia Tidewater area.
Even though the running portion is complete, Mary is continuing to raise money for the effort. If you think it appropriate, please peruse the attached articles, links, and videos and post whatever you’d like to help Mary achieve her fund-raising goal of $10,000.
Thanks, Mark.
Many thanks for your great idea to help spread the word regarding Mary’s 55-mile charitable run for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP). Both she and I appreciate anything you can do to help raise awareness and gather support for a program that helps all veterans from all services who have served in any conflict from WWI onward.
Hoping not to choke your inbox or memory, I’ve attached some selected pictures, videos, and news links as well as her original Family and Friends letter and website address for Mary’s run on October 5th, 2015. Hopefully, these offer a variety of information to document her 14 ½ hour ultramarathon (in very blustery conditions), run with numerous military members and culminating with 40+ soldiers of the Army’s 11th Transportation Battalion.
Mary’s goal is to raise $10,000 and she is currently at $6,300. The donation link and instructions can be found by visiting the website, www.runningtheextramile.org (also listed below) and clicking the Donation box. Please note that the VWWP website has just been updated (now called “Virginia Veterans Services Foundation”) and a distinct block labeled “Running the Extra Mile” should be checked under “Designate your donation” banner for proper credit and accounting to Mary’s effort. Donations can currently be processed up to the end of the October. Retired Marine Corps Colonel Jack Hilgers (Cc’d above) will endeavor to keep the “Running the Extra Mile” option open until November 20th for any donations that follow.
- Running the Extra Mile website link (created by our daughter Sarah and her boyfriend, Tim): www.runningtheextramile.org
- News feeds from local Virginia Beach television stations:
05OCT2015 Reports/news links on Mary Spear Run:
http://www.13newsnow.com/story/features/2015/10/05/woman-runs-55-mile/73425408/
Again, I can’t thank you for forwarding this info to gain as wide an audience as possible for this noble cause.
Chucker
John G. Spear
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