Posted on the Ultralist:
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:45:27 -0500
From: John Nevels
Subject: Alabama Relief Run
Hi y’all,
I’ve always been intrigued by the multi-day runs, and I was hoping to get to run the Vol State this year. Alas, as fate would have it, work got in the way, and Vol State simply wasn’t in the cards for me this year. However, another idea has come to mind, a “consolation prize,” if you will. It’s a little longer than laz’s little road race, and perhaps a little more beneficial to people at large…
As most of you know, this past April, some pretty nasty storms blew through the Southeastern US, spawning off quite a few nasty tornadoes that devastated many parts of the South, especially in Alabama.
There was the requisite initial media hype, but as national attention inevitably wanes, the people affected, including several prominent listers, continue to go about the work of rebuilding their lives.
In an effort to bring attention back to the recovery effort and to try to raise money to benefit those whose homes were destroyed in the storm, I’m planning on running from Gulf Shores, AL, to the AL-TN line, starting on October 22. En route, I plan on going through the cities of Tuscaloosa, Hackleburg, Phil Campbell, Moulton, Harvest, and other towns that were essentially destroyed by the tornadoes.
My run is benefitting Habitat for Humanity in Tuscaloosa and Phil Campbell, specifically building homes for tornado victims (I told them when I approached them that I wanted all money raised to go specifically to tornado victims from the April 27 Tornadoes, and they heartily agreed).
I know that tough times are putting a bit of an economic pinch on people, and I completely understand that some simply can’t write the check. If you’d still like to get involved, there are plenty of options, from supply donations, to pacing opportunities, to simple words of encouragement for the victims we’ll be interacting with (and maybe some for my crew and me). Any and all support is welcome.
Although still a work in progress, I’ve got a website up at:
It’s got some basic information, but I’ll be adding to it over the next few weeks, as well as trying to do some real-time tracking during the run itself.
If you’d like some more information, feel free to contact me on- or off-list, and I’d be happy to answer any questions.
Take it easy,
nevels
