Team,
When you are out there either running a Marathon, taking on a 50K or a Triathlon and you are digging deep into your spirit for that extra spark to get you through the last miles, remember that with every step you take you are having a huge impact in a child's life.
These past few months alone, High Cloud has provided much needed funding to: our schools in Peru to completely re-build the school and bathrooms (http://highcloud.ning.com/photo/albums/peru-2011), our orphanages in India are providing clothing, food and education to the High Cloud children, our micro-finance projects in South America have expanded and single mothers who have lost their husbands are now completely managing their own businesses and supporting their families (http://highcloud.ning.com/photo/albums/high-cloud-south-america). In addition, funding has been provided to pay for the High Cloud children’s school exams in Kenya as well as to sustain our women’s business workshops, family planning and healthcare projects. Similarly, we have provided funding to teach workshops and raise awareness on anti-explosives and identification of landmines so that we can increase our efforts to provide a safe environment to our High Cloud communities and children in Kenya. These projects will launch next month under AJs leadership and they will help to educate and alleviate the hardships endured by these children who are the principal victims of these misfortunes.
In Rio de Janeiro Brazil, our school in Rocinha is launching a great environmental, health promotion and disease prevention project. Thanks to Alana and Lais for lending their creativity, intellectual talent and energy to this worthy project. (http://highcloud.ning.com/photo/albums/high-cloud-brazil)
Last but not least, in Washington DC, our at-risk youth have been supported such as with the Achieve youth triathlon training camp aligning perfectly with our Cloud of Sports program which helps build children's characters by motivating them to stay away from bad influences. Throughout the year, High Cloud has provided more than $4000 towards this endeavor.
See the below shout out High Cloud received from a great friend and an extraordinary person, 5 time Ironman Champion Hillary Biscay for High Cloud's support to Nate, an inner city at-risk youth in California who was living in a terrible situation with only a couple options in life and both included gangs and basic survival. But now with support from High Clouders just like yourself, Nate not only graduated from High School with honors but he is attending College! This is a huge accomplishment and will not only have a positive impact on Nate but also his entire family!
Team, when you are out there racing, remember the extraordinary impact that you are having in so many lives around the world! We are carrying our mission to promote national and international development, sports, education and human values. Let's rock it!!
All the best
Adriana and Matt
See our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/
"Those who are following our Exceeding Expectations Scholarship fundraiser might have noticed that our little progress bar took a big jump this past week . . . Yes, my friends, we are truly ALMOST THERE NOW!! As of today, we have raised $14,225 towards our goal of $15,000—which will be matched to make our total $30,000, or two years of Nate’s tuition and expenses for UCSD.
Last week’s massive progress came both from our smashfest tees–which are still available in most sizes—and thanks for the most part to an extremely generous donation from an amazing organization called High Cloud. High Cloud is a foundation run and supported by triathletes that works to alleviate poverty in places all over the globe, with a specific focus on mothers and children. Most of High Cloud’s work has been abroad, so I feel so very fortunate that I was able to connect with its founders, Adriana and Matt Anderson, through Ironman Louisville and bring their attention to Exceeding Expectations; they realized that our program was doing work right here at home which in line with High Cloud’s mission!
I must say that this connection was eye-opening for me too, as it made me realize that all was far from lost in my “bad” race in Louisville; I learned that sometimes there are far more important reasons for my being out there than simply a good race result.
Thanks so much High Cloud and all of you who have supported this fundraising effort! We are truly almost there, and it is your generosity that has made this happen! THANK YOU!!
Hillary Biscay"