Update on "Exceeding Expectations"

(Note: I tried to weed out the e-mail addresses of those of you who were so generous at year's end, but if you're receiving this again anyway, I apologize and you can hit the DELETE button right here. You've done your bit and you're off the hook for the remainder of 2005! By the way, your donations. along with those from last month's "Swimathon" event, brought in over $15,000. That's more than 60% of the way toward the goal.)

You can check on progress any time by clicking here: http://www.active.com/donate/imidaho/expectations

Hope you're all having a splendid year so far.

-lee

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[Excerpts from a plea originally sent 12/15/2004]

You're probably already aware of a program my wife Cherie started four years ago called "Exceeding Expectations," which attempts to re-direct the lives of at-risk, inner-city kids in San Bernardino, California, using the sport of triathlon. Many of you have already contributed generously to keep it going, and to say that it's been a success would be a vast understatement: Despite overwhelming odds, the kids in the program have successfully avoided drifting off into the kind of life that a few years ago seemed all but inevitable. Their grades are up, their behavior in school has been exemplary, and some are even talking about becoming the first in their families to go to college. (Some of you who've been with us since the beginning might have noticed that we no longer refer to the program as the "Cypress Kids." That's because all of the original participants have since graduated from Cypress Elementary, where it all started, but most are still with the program.)

One thing that Cherie was unprepared for was the pressure of keeping Exceeding Expectations funded. She thought she'd be spending most of her time with the kids, doing one-on-one training and arranging for them to participate in local triathlon and running events. Unfortunately, it turned out that the majority of her time has been taken up trying to raise money for bikes, shoes, race entry fees, transportation and training supplies. The program is funded entirely by private contributions from generous people such as yourselves.

So her goal for the first half of 2005 is to get enough money into the program to allow her to back off the fundraising a little and spend more time directly with the kids. The target is $25,000 and the vehicle is a program set up by the Ironman organization in conjunction with the Janus Foundation and Active.com. As an athlete competing in an Ironman triathlon in Coeur d'Alene next summer, Cherie will be able to collect contributions on-line, and she is eligible for some matching money from Janus. For the first time, contributors will be able to use credit cards to make donations, and we're hoping that this kind of convenience will make it easier for people to donate.

The best part is that none of this violates Cherie's strict policy of not spending any money whatsoever on administration: All the donated money will go straight to the kids.

The easiest way to contribute is to use the Website Janus set up for the program, which will allow you to use a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or AmEx). You can get there by clicking on this link:

http://www.active.com/donate/imidaho/expectations

You can also pay by check, payable to "Active Awareness Fund – Exceeding Expectations." Send it to:

Cherie Gruenfeld
68895 Perez #22-187
Cathedral City, CA 92234

By the way, I'll be sending a signed first edition of one of my books to anyone contributing $100. For $200 or more, you'll get a first edition of Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief, signed by Bill Mason, the subject of the book, as well as me.

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this. You can't imagine how much of a difference your contribution will make in the lives of these great kids. To learn a little about Exceeding Expectations and see some photos of the kids racing in recent triathlons, please visit Cherie's Website: www.CherieGruenfeld.com

We hope all of you are having a happy, healthy and safe 2005.

-lee