Dear ;

On October 22nd, I will be running the 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. While I am committing to running all of these 26.2 miles, I am also committing to the marathon in order to raise $500 to support Broadtree Adventures in Education, Chicago’s only non-profit outdoor adventure program for our city’s teens. In order to do this successfully I need your help!

Broadtree Adventures in Education empowers teenagers to create positive change in their lives, communities and world. Broadtree challenges its participants to rise above their limits in outdoor adventures and in group-selected social change projects. Participants enhance their conflict resolution, critical thinking and listening skills, all which enable them to meet challenges they set for themselves while becoming leaders in their communities. In the course of the first year of operation, Broadtree Adventures in Education successfully challenged and inspired approximately one hundred Chicago-area teenagers. Broadtree took them out of their communities- many for the first time in their lives by kayaking, sailing, hiking, and rock climbing in Chicago and camping in Michigan and Wisconsin State parks. 100% of the teens Broadtree serves come from low-income communities, all who are at-risk for gang activity, drug abuse and violence. Broadtree’s second year of program has begun and they will be serving twice the amount of youth served in the past and has expanded their programs to include an after-school program and a one-month summer program.