One in a Million

More Steps & Progress

Personal Progress Update

Well, I've added another 18,000 steps running toward my personal goal of 1,000,000 steps for the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center!

That brings my grand total to 58,000 steps thus far!  Only 942,000 to go! 

As the end of March approaches, I'm looking forward to making my first donation connected with the number of miles run in the month of March 2009.

Interest Building

This past week, more interest has been generated in the One in a Million Campaign!  I'm really excited!

More people are visiting this blog site and contributing to the campaign!

I have several new groups to contact for recruitment purposes -- runners clubs, FCA groups, Girl and Boy Scout groups -- all contacts coming from interested supporters.

If you have a group that you think might be interested in hearing about this unique campaign, please let me know!  I'm also interested in suggestions on how to best spread the word about this project!  Please feel free to share with me!

Important Fact About Children's Grief 

Over 30,000 children per year will lose a sibling to death!

One of the most important factors pertinent to the ability of children to heal in the process of grief is the availability of appropriate support.  The Journey of Hope Grief Support Center provides this invaluable service for children and families!

More Steps Toward My Million!

Well, I've added another 18,000 steps running toward my personal goal of 1,000,000 steps for the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center!

That brings my grand total to 40,000 steps thus far!  Only 960,000 to go!  Woo Hoo!

I'm still looking for walkers and runners to join me!  All you have to do is (1) Decide to walk or run 1 Million steps for the Journey of Hope between now and the end of the year (only 500 miles); (2) Reach out to friends and family to sponsor you to the tune of $500 for the remainder of the year; and (3) Invite others to visit this site and join in on raising One Million Dollars, One Dollar at a Time, One Person at a Time in 2009 for the Journey of Hope!

Children and families touched by the tragedy of death loss will be forever grateful for your support!

Imagine, for the price of a soda, you can help heal the broken hearts of children and families!  Won't you join us?

Did you know that  90+ percent of all adolescents in drug or alchohol rehab programs have suffered either a death or divorce in their immediate family?  You can help!

Excitement is Spreading!

Word is Spreading!

I don't know about you, but when others become excited by an event in which I am deeply invested, I get PUMPED!  Well, excitement is exactly what is taking place right now related to the One in a Million campaign to raise One Million Dollars, One Dollar at a Time, One Person at a Time in 2009!

I am chair of the newly formed Advisory Council for the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center - a non-profit organization that provides free group grief support to children, adolescents and their parents or adult caregivers as they learn to mourn the death or impending death of a loved one!  The organization has served families from 47 different communities located in 11 different counties in the North Texas region!  We have been doing this consistently now for almost 11 years!

Unique Times and Unique Challenges

As with any endeavor that works to fill a needed gap in services to families and communities, economic down cycles create unique challenges.  That is why the One in a Million campaign is such a vital component of the existing and ongoing efforts by the Journey of Hope to remain viable!

This is a campaign in which anyone, from anywhere in the country at any time may participate and I invite you to take a moment to visit the Journey of Hope website at http://johgriefsupport.org to see what is happening.  Once there and after perusing the site, simply click the One in a Million link, donate one dollar (the cost of a soda on a good day) and then pass the link on to your friends, family and co-workers!  It's that simple!

My Personal Progress

Now for an update on my commitment to run 1,000,000 steps or 504 miles @ 12 miles per week between now and the end of 2009!

As of this morning -- after logging another 6,000 steps or 3 miles -- I have traveled 22,000 steps for the Journey of Hope and lack only 978,000 more to reach my million!  Remember, I'm also committing one dollar per mile to the cause as an added incentive for me to finish my goal!  That will be $504 by year's end.  I'm not sure, but I think I may have convinced a couple more runners to join in on the challenge of running/walking 1,000,000 steps for the Journey this year.

Just as in the last post, only 2,000 runners logging 500 miles gathering $500 in support pledges would generate the $1 Million for Journey of Hope.

Thus far the One in a Million campaign has generated $1050 toward the goal of $1 Million in 2009 leaving only $998,950 to be raised!  As the total increases and the deficit decreases, I will keep you posted!

Information Tidbit

Did you know that one out of seven children by the age of ten will experience the death of a loved one?  Putting that information into perspective.  Let's say we take one first grade class in one school located in one city or town.  If that first grade class has 21 students then according to the stats, 3 children in that one class will experience the death of a loved one by the age of ten.  That's just one class in one school in one town.  Now begin adding the number of first grade classes in a single elementary school, the number of elementary schools in a given district, the number of districts in a particular state and the number of states in our nation and the scope of this stat begins to clarify!

What's Next?

Yesterday's meeting generated other outstanding ideas about how to reach the Million Dollar goal!  I must begin thinking about the kind of celebration to hold when we meet our goal!  Any ideas?

I invite you to join in this project!  With the little effort and time it takes to click a few links, donate a dollar and pass the information along you can make a tremendous difference in the life of a child!  Thanks for helping u s serve the needs of children!

Again, the website for the Journey of Hope is http://johgriefsupport.org

Mark

Calling All Walkers and Joggers!

Issuing a Challenge!

OK folks!  I have a challenge associated with raising $1 Million Dollars, One Dollar at a Time, One Person at a Time for the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center by the end of 2009!  Are you ready?

I know for sure that there are huge numbers of walkers and joggers out there!  Folks who don your walking or running shoes religiously and hit the pavement or trails!  I KNOW you're out there!  Heck the sheer number of running and walking magazine subscriptions tell me that!

I was thinking about what I posted yesterday -- you know how I plan to dedicate 12 miles per week Jogging for the Journey of Hope! A mere 504 miles over 10 months!  I also posted that I am going to donate one dollar for every mile I run each month -- or $504 by the end of the year! Not bad for a little sweat and effort!

OK, here's the deal!  All we need is 1999 more walkers/joggers to pledge the exact same thing I am doing -- 2000 in all -- and we would have the $1 Million by year's end!  ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DON'T YOU THINK?

Who among you is up to the challenge?  Do you know other walkers or joggers who might commit to get their friends, family or co-workers to sponsor them with dollars while they do the work?  Can you imagine how very quickly the money for this wonderful non-profit would grow if just a few hundred walkers/joggers accepted my challenge?

If you're up to it or know folks who are -- perhaps you are a member of a walking or jogging club -- please consider sharing this challenge with them!  If you take me up on this challenge, simply send me your name via email or post as a comment on this blog and we'll log your miles in addition to mine!

Come on folks! Let's do this thing!  Lower our blood pressure!  Lower our cholesterol!  Drop a few pounds!  Get those endorphins flowing!  And help suppport grieving children and families at the same time!

I can't wait to start hearing from you!  I will start posting names and pledges as soon as you start sending them my way!

The money?  Oh, you'd best send that directly to the Journey of Hope!  Look us up at http://johgriefsupport.org   You can donate what you collect online! 

I AM SO PUMPED!  THIS IS HAPPENING AS I WRITE!

My Stats So Far!

Well, I added another 6,000 steps to my total today so I am up to 16,000 steps!  Only 984,000 to go!  I can visualize the celebration now!

I will have money numbers for you tomorrow -- the amount that has already been given toward the One in a Million Campaign!

Information Tidbit!

Did you know that 1.5 million children will lose one of both parents to death by the age of 15 and that the number increases to 2 million when the age is increased to age 18?  Children need nurturing, caring and understanding support in order to heal properly!  The Journey of Hope provides that support!

Thanks for joining my journey!

Mark Hundley

 

 

Join My Journey!

The Journey of a Million Miles

While jogging yesterday morning, I had an idea -- one of those "Flash Ideas" that hit me square in the face rendering me near useless the remainder of the jog.  So inspirational was this idea that I could hardly wait to return home to begin working on it!

You have likely heard that "The Journey of a Million Miles is taken one step at a time," correct?  Well for every journey of a million miles, there must be a beginning point!

I am currently involved in what I equate to a Journey of a Million Miles and I need your help!  I ask a favor or you!

One in a Million!

I have the privilege of being one of seven co-founders of one of the most amazing non-profit organizations in the world! The Journey of Hope Grief Support Center serves the needs of children and families by providing free group grief support for children, adolescents and their parents or adult caregivers as they learn to mourn the death of impending death of a loved one!

This wonderfully unique organization was conceptualized in early 1997 and by June 8, 1998, we opened the doors for our first group!  Since those humble beginnings, the Journey of Hope has reached out to families all over North Texas providing an invaluable service!

As you know, money is tight everywhere!  We are all being affected by the wacky economy!  Non-profit groups that offer needed services are feeling the pinch as well! 

In an attempt to address these concerns, I have initiated a campaign for 2009 on behalf of the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center entitled One in a Million in which I plan to raise One Million Dollars, One Dollar at a Time, One Person at a Time for the Journey of Hope!  Yes, that's right - ONE MILLION DOLLARS!  Impossible you say?  Absolutely NOT!

All I ask is that you do three simple things: (1) Visit the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center website and read about it's mission. http://johgriefsupport.org (2) Give just one dollar to the One in a Million Cause. (3) Share this endeavor with friends and family asking them to do the same!  There you have it -- Simple actually!  Never before has just one dollar held the potential to be so powerful!

My Idea

My idea is this!  I just started back jogging after an absence due to an injury!  As I jogged yesterday, I wondered how many miles I would have to run to equal One Million Steps!  My thought was to create a blog chronicling my trek toward a Million Steps -- all to raise awareness and a Million Dollars for the Journey of Hope!

To make a long story short, If I run just 12 miles a week for the next 10 months -- three miles four times a week -- I will have just exceeded One Million Steps dedicated to the Journey of Hope and done so by jogging just 504 miles!  The average number of steps jogged in a mile is 2,000!

Here's the deal!  I do the running!  You do the giving and spreading of the idea!  Sounds like a real deal doesn't it?

Oh, by the way, I have decided to donate one dollar for each mile I run between now and the end of December 2009!  That's just $504!

What Can You do?

First you can donate just one dollar to the Journey of Hope through this One in a Million campaign.

Second you can share this idea with friends and family and encourage them to do the same!

Third, if you are a runner and would like to join me on my trek to run 504 miles for the Journey of hope and ask others to sponsor your efforts, I would be honored!

Fourth, feel free to share this idea and project with everyone you know!

Oprah or Dr. Phil could likely write a check and satisfy the million dollar goal, but I would not want that!  In this time of struggle and economic uncertainty, I would rather give folks all over the world a chance to discover just how far one dollar will go to create lasting change in the lives of children!

Won't you join me?  Thanks

Statistics

I will post pertinent statistics on a daily basis as they become available!  Most updates will be brief and chock full of exciting information!

Personal Steps Taken -- 10,000 as of March 7, 2009!  Will add 6,000 more in a few hours!

I will have the total number of dollars donated to the One in a Million campaign thus far posted tomorrow!

Thanks so much for joining me on this journey!

Mark Hundley

P.S.  Please visit http://johgriefsupport.org to learn more about the vital work that The Journey of Hope conducts!  Also, please feel free to visit the page entitled "The Journey" on the right side of this blog to access and read a special short story written especially for this campaign!  Thanks!