Hope Next Exit Three

As I sit down to write this post, I have completed 26.2 miles of the 216.8 Miles for Ryan journey.  Only 190.6 racing miles to go......with another few 1,000 miles to go in training for those races. As I sit down to write this post, I am 49 days from competing in the American River 50 mile run (I specify run because my Mom was confused and thought this was a bike ride until recently) and 128 days from Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Of these two events, it is the AR50 that freaks me out the most. I am a little beat up at the moment. My feet are crazy sore. A bunion that I have on my right foot.....well I have them on both feet but the one on the right is the problem child.......has been really causing me trouble with some foot pain. Beyond that, my training includes a 20+ run every weekend and although I would not say those runs are tough, I would say that I do not feel 25-30 miles of freshness left in my legs when I am finished. I am just sticking with the program, though, and praying it all comes together on race day.  Most importantly, while I sit here writing this post, I have raised almost $11,000 on the way to my $15,000 goal.  $15,000 dollars towards finding a cure for cancer and showing Ryan I care and that the world cares. My fundraising site (link above) does not reflect everything yet but it will in the near future as all of the donations get processed.  My path to reaching the $15,000 goal lies with this raffle.  For those unsure where the Hope Next Exit name came from, it ties to one of the hospital visits my wife and I made on the path to finding a surgeon when cancer knocked on her door a second time. While we sat in the Theater of Good Things To Come (the waiting room), we noticed a pamphlet with the image above.  It seemed appropriate and the name has stuck. At a party to celebrate my wife's second victory against cancer, I launched a raffle to help raise funds.  We raised about $5,000 with that raffle and since then I have raised another $5,000 with the 2nd addition of the raffle. It is now time to kick off the 3rd edition.  I have been working hard to get some prizes.  I either get prizes donated or pay for the prizes myself so that every penny you give towards this raffle is going towards the cause and a cure.  None of your donation will go towards the purchase of the prizes on the list below so donate in confidence.  The way to participate is simple:

One ticket for $20

Three tickets for $50

(e.g. $20 = 1 ticket, $40 = 2 tickets, $50 = 3 tickets, $70 = 4 tickets, $100 = 6 tickets)

You can simply click the link at the top of this page and then click on the 'Donate Now' button

In the donation process, you have the ability to leave a comment.......mention the raffle in your comments although I will assume that donations from this point forward all tie to the raffle if they are in $20 or $50 increments.  Feel free to add some words of encouragement while you are there too!

100% of your donation is tax deductible...you will be mailed a receipt.

If you would rather pay by check, either reply to this post or reach me on FB (Christopher Wilno) or DM me on Twitter (@run2savelives) and I will send you my address.

PRIZES AS OF NOW ARE AS FOLLOWS (RETAIL VALUE APPROX $2,500):

(more prizes are in the works)

HP SPECTRE XT ULTRABOOK COMPUTER

BEATS BY DRE PILL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

ACER E1-531 NOTEBOOK COMPUTER

KINDLE FIRE HD 7 INCH TABLET (16GB)

MONSTER BEATS HEADPHONES

KINDLE E READER

HP PHOTOSMART E-ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER

LEXMARK S815 GENESIS PRINTER
PUNK ROCK RACING GEAR

HP 12C CALCULATOR

$50 STARBUCKS CARD

$25 AMEX GIFT CARD

AVATAR 3 DISC DVD SET

Some images are below if you are interested. As always, thank you for reading and thank you for your continued support. I have raised a lot of money to fight back against the disease that took my father and attacked my wife and none of it would have happened without you.  I am grateful and humbled.  Please feel free to share this post.  The more money we raise, the closer we are to a cure and sleeping with both eyes closed knowing cancer will not attack us, our mothers, our fathers, our children nor any of our friends and family.