Turning Miles into Smiles
- The BASF Smile Train Tri went off without a hitch, raising $12,500 for The Smile Train!
- Local NBC affiliate, WNCN, covered the race. Here's the story!
- I can't thank our sponsors enough for all they did to make this a success!
Let's Turn Our Miles into Smiles
the mission: $10,000... mission accomplished!
In August 2007, I set forth with a mission to raise at least $10,000 for The Smile Train, enough to make smiles for 40 children. As of July 2008, I doubled that mission and the donations continue to come in.
Fundraising began in October, 2007 with a letter-writing campaign that raised over $3,500 in the first two months. We began planning for The BASF Smile Train Triathlon in November 2007 and the day of the race arrived on June 29, 2008.
the event: The Smile Train Tri, presented by BASF
This was a ground breaking event! It was the first triathlon in Wake Forest, NC and was the first triathlon ever to benefit The Smile Train. The residential neighborhood of Heritage Wake Forest opened their swim club and beautiful neighborhoods to 330 athletes, over 75 volunteers, and over 30 sponsors.
The sponsorship for this event was so great that 100% of the registration fees were able to go straight to The Smile Train... that's at least $12,500! With this amount we are able to make 50 children smile, 100 parents, 200 grandparents, hundreds of extended family members. We're not just touching children, we're impacting entire communities and infusing them with peace and hope.
the reason: The Smile Train
The Smile Train is a group of doctors, nurses, and aides who travel the world helping repair cleft lips and cleft palates of children in underdeveloped countries. They train the local professionals to be self-sufficient so that they can continue to provide this life-changing surgery after The Smile Train has moved on. Since March 2000 they have helped over 300,000 children.
They are so cost-efficient that this procedure can cost as little as $250 and 100% of every donated dollar goes to patient programs, not on overhead costs.
the motivation: Ironman Louisville
My love of 
triathlons began back in the 1990's but was put on hold for a few years so I could start my family. After completing my race that re-entered me into the
triathlon circut, I decided then and there that I was going to complete a life-goal of mine - to complete an
Ironman Triathlon.
I've signed up and have been training for the Ironman Louisville triathlon to be held on August 31, 2008. I love the sport and challenge of a triathlon and have found a reason to make this bigger than my personal accomplishment. I found an organization whose work changes lives forever.
the sponsors:
