Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

So this past week has been a whirlwind with everything going on. Going back to school after a week off is pretty hard, especially when a week of really tough practices is waiting for you. We raced Ohio State and Franklin Pierce yesterday on Lake Lure and ended up winning the meeting. My boats didn't fare so well, but we were also put into the wrong categories.

Bike and Build fundraising has been going well, too. I have gotten a few more donations that have put me up at the $1400 mark. My wave of letters are going out this week, and a few of those people have already committed to sponsor me, which is a really good feeling. Thank you so much to Ms. Ona Ruth, Robbie and Kim Crane (all the way from Mississippi), Karen Westmoreland, Jeanette Harris, Rick and Diana Cromer, and Tim and Mary Mabe (all the way from TN). Thank you also to Congresswoman Virginia Foxx for her offer of a Capitol Dome tour in Washington for a possible auction.

More big news on the Bike and Build front is that my bike arrived in Chapel Hill on Friday. I had a fun time after I got home yesterday putting it together and taking it out for its first ride. Now I just need to get gear and goodies for her.

I still have about $2600 dollars to raise to be able to do this trip starting in May. Please, tell anyone you know about this cause and if they want to donate toward this wonderful cause, send them my way and I will be happy to give them more information.

Keepin' It Rollin'

Spring Break came and went, with beautiful weather in Chapel Hill, that is, until Saturday afternoon. We finished up our practices on Jordan Lake Friday morning and moved over to Lake Wheeler. Saturday morning we faced the University of Vermont. We swept all of the events by relatively large margins, making for a good start to the season. My lightweight 4+ laid down a time of 7:11, meaning that our race yesterday would have won SIRAs last year by 16 seconds. Not bad at all.

On the Bike and Build front, I have received a few more donations. Thank you so much to Gus and Bonnie Poindexter, Alex and Mariedith Appanaitis, Pat and Cindy Barrow, Heather Riddick, and Mr. McMartin. Everyone's generosity has been amazing and I hope that it will continue. I am currently at about $1200 of my $4000 goal. I will be talking to some businesses soon about the possibilities of sponsorship. If you know anyone or any company that you think would sponsor this cause, please let me know at thall10@email.unc.edu or at (336) 287-7401.

I head back to classes tomorrow and then head to Asheville on Friday for a dual race against Ohio State on Saturday. We raced them my freshman year and won, hopefully we can match that again this year.

Spring Break '08 and First Donations

So Spring Break has fallen upon Chapel Hill and thousands upon thousands of undergrads have all left for sunnier beaches. Meanwhile, I am getting my tan by spending about four hours a day at practice on Jordan Lake. All this in the name of racing this Saturday on Lake Wheeler in Raleigh again Vermont. So while everyone else is bragging about their trip to Mexico or the Carribbean, I can brag about my time in Durham. Oh yea...

So after my first wave of letters I have started to see the results come in. Thank you so much to those of you who have donated your money to this cause:

Dr. Ron Carroll
Doyle Cromer
Kim and Diane Hutchens
Jerry and Jan Gordon
Sam and Kris Sorrells
Lester and Ruby Beeson
Wiley and Wanda Burcham
Uncle Rupert
Anthony Santangelo
Yates and Nelda Wilkinson
Franklin and Shirley Gordon
John Richardson
Stanley and Sandra Smith
Sarah Deal
Ralph and Loyce Patterson
Joel and Kelly Gilbert
Larry and Pat Beeson
Bobby and Gaye Smith

So far I am almost 25% of the way to my goal. Thanks again to everyone who has donated. I promise it will go a long way. All the way to California...