From Laura: I am running the Miami 1/2 Marathon on January 30th. It's my first 1/2 marathon and the longest distance I will have run in my life (so far I've only gone 8 miles...over 5 miles to go!). I am a NON-runner. Stay tuned to see if I make it to the finish line!
I have 3.5 weeks left to train and would like to make my pain someone else's gain. Thus, I'm using this event to fund raise for a very special project. Ethiopia Reads is a really incredible organization that is committed to increasing the literacy rate in Ethiopia and establishing libraries and donkey-drawn bookmobiles all over the country. UNICEF estimates the current adult literacy rate to be approximately 36%. Less than 1/2 of the adults in Ethiopia can read. Less than 1/2. Take that in for a moment as you reflect on how the skill of reading has affected YOUR life. Where would you be if you could not read?
Ethiopia Reads has agreed to build a library in Kambata, the small region where our daughter Konjit was born in Southern Ethiopia. Many children adopted from Ethiopia come from this area, as it is hard hit by poverty. A blog friend, Julie, has spear-headed this project as her two children are also also Kambatans. I'm am excited to share that Ethiopia Reads has partnered with the Tesfa Foundation to not only build a library, but to establish a school near Konjit's birth place!
$45,000 is needed to build this library and school. That's a lot. The good news is approximately 1/2 of what is needed for the library has already been raised!
Would you consider sponsoring me as I run the 13.1 miles of the Miami 1/2 marathon in an effort to raise the literacy rate in Ethiopia by donating whatever you can (I know we are on the heels of holiday gift giving) to this project? Maybe consider sponsoring me per mile...knowing that each mile I am to run has a dollar value will get me to the finish line.
Because we stand to make a difference in Konjit's birth area, this is a cause that is very dear to us.
If you're interested in making a donation you can either paypal me at lcsummerhill(at) gmail (dot) com or donate directly through the Tesfa Foundation site, found here: http://tesfa.org/store?item=1291747635
If you'd like to read more about Ethiopia Reads see this site: http://www.ethiopiareads.org/home
Hey, thanks for reading and for considering my plea. Here's to a happy 2011!
Warmly,
Laura
How amazing is she? Thanks Laura, and thanks to everyone who has sponsored her, and to everyone who is about to sponsor her. ;)
