Building a great charity is much like running a marathon:  it requires commitment, focus and vision – all traits exemplified by each Team Lifeline member this season.  Thanks to each of you – our 300 valued and spirited teammates who donned your running shoes for the ING New York City Marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon and ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon – more than $1.35 million was raised for the programs and services offered by Chai Lifeline.

What all of you have also raised as you covered a collective 4,742 miles is hope -- among the thousands of young patients and their families who benefit from these initiatives.  You will read about one of these heroic children and a grateful parent in their own words in this newsletter.  Just as we are inspired by their courageous battles in the face of tremendous adversity, so, too, are they inspired by your dedication to doing what you can to help us help them.

The way we help is to keep on running.  Let’s build on the momentum and success we attained from our Miami, Las Vegas and New York efforts for our 2010-2011 season.  Indeed, I’d like to offer each of you a challenge: to enlist at least one more family member, friend, neighbor, colleague, or business associate to commit to a Team Lifeline race this year.  Our goal is a minimum of 600 runners raising more than $2.5 million.

We’re going to make it worth your while.  Aside from the profound feeling you get from fulfilling a mitzvah through your participation, we are establishing an enrollment incentive program, and will forward you details as they are finalized.

We are going to start in conjunction with the New York City Marathon on November 7th.  I’m proud to announce that we have been granted 20 guaranteed entries.  Since there were 300 Team Lifeline members running in races this past year, and another 600 or so that have run for us in previous years, we know there will be enormous interest in these 20 slots. 

So, we are launching a video contest, in which you make your most persuasive case for why you deserve one of the 20 guaranteed spaces.  You can be humorous or serious…but you must be creative and convincing to our panel of distinguished judges.  Your videos will be featured on our website and Facebook page, and we may even post the best ones on YouTube and other sites.   Put your producer-director caps on and be on the look-out for further details in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, enjoy the newsletter, and, on behalf of all our Chai Lifeline families, thank you for your support.