With every new year comes our famous, or sometimes infamous, resolutions. Here is one though that I think everyone can happily stay the course with: Charity Miles.
It’s exercising for a cause, one greater than yourself. You just download the free Charity Miles app (www.charitymiles.org) onto your smartphone. Bring it with you as you walk, run or bike. You just have to select a charity, click start, and begin your workout.
Read the full article at Examiner.com
Filed under global hunger
LeeAnne Reinert is the President of the College of Mount St. Joseph Student Nurse Association. While starting her career in the medical field, LeeAnne has also been fundraising for many charitable causes.
She is a member of the Mount’s Charity Miles team (MountMiles), organized by the Campus Activities Board. Charity Miles is a free app you download onto your smartphone that allows you to raise money for Feeding America, Autism Speaks, Stand Up To Cancer, the World Food Program and many other charities.
When you start your workout, you select which organization to sponsor. Then for each mile you run, walk or bike, a donation is made to the charity of your choice, paid out of a sponsorship pool.
LeeAnne recently took time to discuss Charity Miles.
Tell us about your first experience with Charity Miles, as part of extra credit for a class.
I was very excited when I was told about the Charity Miles opportunity for my Cincinnati Authors Literature class. It was perfectly timed with Lent and connected my two Lenten goals into one since my Lenten goals were to make healthier choices and dedicate my time to a worthy cause. Running for good causes gave me all the motivation I needed to lace up my running shoes and head to the track.
I was also excited that if I completed the required number of miles by the end of the semester I would not have to write the final paper for my Lit class. (What college student doesn’t love getting out of writing a paper?) This opportunity ended up being a blessing that allowed me to focus on my nursing classes and raise my grades that ultimately helped me earn a 4.0 last semester!
How many Charity Miles have you run so far?
During school I ran about 30 miles. Since the beginning of summer vacation I have run about 40 miles. (The heat and work have slowed me down.)
What are some of the charities that you are helping?
The two charities that I run for the most are Stand Up To Cancer and Wounded Warriors Project.
Do you have a personal connection with any of the Charity Miles causes?
The Wounded Warriors Project has a special place in my heart. My father, mother, and brother are all in the military (or are retired from it) so all my life I have been surrounded by the dedicated men and women of our armed forces. Running for them makes me feel like I am doing my part to say thank you for their sacrifices. They received the care they more than earn as they continue to put themselves in harm’s way.
Stand Up To Cancer is another organization that is near and dear to me. I have had too many friends and family members fight or lose the battle to cancer. As a future nurse, cancer is going to surround me and knowing that the miles I run could help that fight always makes me want to push a little harder during each workout.
Can someone follow your Charity Miles workouts?
All of my Facebook friends can see my see my miles. My hope though is that my friends will be inspired to follow my lead and participate as well. I always know that some of my fellow Charity Miles runners/walkers will like the post and I always try to return the favor to them.
originally published at Cincinnati.com
Filed under Charity
You can use the free app Charity Miles to help fight hunger. (photo courtesy of Charity Miles)
On Thanksgiving I got the chance to raise money for three charities: Stand up 2 Cancer, Feeding America, and the World Food Programme. All this by simply running and using a free app called Charity Miles.
I bought an Android phone a couple of months ago and downloaded the free Charity Miles app. You select a charity and choose whether you are going to run, walk, or bike. The app keeps track of your miles. Every mile you cover leads to a donation to the charity of your choice. The results of your runs get posted to your Facebook page.
I started out on Thanksgiving day with a three-mile run and took a little break to submit the results so Stand up 2 Cancer could earn the donation. The three miles I ran donated about seven minutes of cancer research.
The next three-mile run was for Feeding America and this donated about eight meals. As a member of the Feeding America Blogger Council I was also busy getting an online petition set up to support America’s foodbanks. So please sign this petition.
After another much-needed break especially considering the very hilly terrain I was running (the place is called Western Hills), my plan was to next run for the World Food Programme (WFP). My phone had a glitch so I lost about a mile’s worth. However, I did run a little over two miles after that, leading to a donation of five meals to WFP.
I also was able to mention Charity Miles to a few people I passed along the way.
Just as I am writing this I have received a message from Charity Miles stating:
“Yesterday was Charity Miles’ biggest day ever! Over 8,900 miles in one day – nearly half of which were for Feeding America, helping to feed over 15,000 people! What a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving!”
I am happy to be nine of those miles yesterday and to raise money for causes I am very involved with. My column here, primarly about world hunger, is nearing its 500th article.
I was glad to see Stand up 2 Cancer recently added to the Charity Mile list. I know how deeply devastating this disease is. My mother passed away from lung and brain cancer this summer.
There are many other charities as well that you can help when you join. I never used a cell phone or Android before starting this, so for experienced people it should be relatively easy to set up.
Article first published as Running Charity Miles to Fight Hunger and Cancer on Blogcritics.
Filed under global hunger
Author William Lambers 