March 22, 2011
Dear Fregenet supporters,
2011 gave us a marathon that will stand out in the memories of all who took part. The weather forecasters were all gloom and doom on the evening before the race. The Fregenet running team sat glum-faced and glued to the TV hoping that this time, as in so many before, the computer models would fail and the predictions of rain and wind would be wrong. They hoped that the wave after wave of storm fronts brewing over the Pacific Ocean would somehow swing north or south and miss the city of angels all together.
But no, the forecasters were right on the money and the Fregenet team wasn\’t out of earshot of the starting signal before the heavens opened and the rain began to bucket down in sheets that would make a duck swim for cover. Mile after mile under their makeshift garbage bag ponchos with holes cut out for head and arms, the runners shouldered into the wind and wet. They picked their way through puddles and avoided the streaming gutters as long as they could, but eventually the poor drains on the streets of Hollywood and Beverly Hills couldn\’t handle the volume of water and runners simply splashed on, ankle deep at times, unable to keep their feet dry any longer.
Of course, the stiffness took its toll as in all years after mile fifteen or so. The hills seemed to get steeper, the mile markers further and further apart, and still the rain fell. But we finished. All of the Fregenet runners finished because we had made a promise to ourselves, to our supporters, and to the kids at Fregenet Kidan Lehitsanat School. As most of you know, the LA marathon is a key fund raising event for the foundation. Now that we\’ve completed our commitment we turn to you, the donors, to come through for the kids. It\’s time to fulfill the pledges you\’ve already made, or if you haven\’t pledged, to simply allow yourselves to be caught up in the moment and send us a donation.
Just as there are bad days to run a marathon, like the one we survived this last Sunday, so there are times when it is hard to dig into our pockets and give. We know that the economy is not providing any of us a lot of reason to go on a spending spree. Still, we want to keep in the front of your minds the reminder that there are deserving, hard working kids with dreams that we want to support and nourish. Your money goes such a long way with these young ones. Please consider a donation to Fregenet at this time and mail your checks payable to:
The Fregenet Foundation
901 South Flower Street, Unit 411
Los Angeles, CA 90015
We also want to thank a few people that made this fund raising event successful, including the LA Marathon LLC, and Ginger Williams – Director of Community Relations for facilitating this event, our sturdy runners, and most importantly you, our supporters. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.
Sincerely,
The Fregenet Foundation
(Along with your humble, loyal, and still a little bit stiff running team)