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SMP51

Senior member
Joined
Oct 31, 2011
Messages
677
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
11/2010
Country
US
State
FL
City
Fort Walton Beach
a few months ago our nefew, Joshua Smith, got in touch with us and told us he had decided to do a 50 mile run in Steve's name to raise funds and awareness for ALS when he arrived home from his latest deployment to the middle east. Bless him, his goal at the time was to raise a mere $500 for the ALS foundation for running FIFTY MILES.
As the monies came in his goal was raised and he has raised nearly 5 grand to date!
Needless to say we were completely caught of guard and touch by this huge act of support and love.
Josh has made it back to State side safe and sound, thank God, and We are busy planning his run, from Panama City Beach FL to Fort Walton Beach, on December 21. The last 5 miles of the run will be along the beach of Okaloosa Island allowing local runners to join and run him in to the Ramada Inn Resort, who are graciously allowing us to gather on there back deck area over looking the beaches.
But, Josh isn't just running for Steve he is running for all of us. The AlS Foundation has been a huge source of support for us, from sharing equipment from their loan closet to covering the cost of an ALS clinic when Steve as between insurances. Now when friends ask what can they do for us I tell them about Josh's run and that supporting the foundation is the same as supporting us.

please feel free to share Josh's run with your FB page or Email addresses for those people who are always asking what can they do and you don't know what to tell them they could help with...they really do want to help and Josh is running for all of us

thank and God Bless
Meg
you can find Josh's run if you google "50 Miles for Steve"
 
How wonderful! you must be very proud of him!


you should call the local paper and tv stations--they are always looking for a good human interest story to report.
 
humbled is how I feel Barbie. and when I look at the bottom of the fundraising site there is a rolling list of doners, the names of familair friends, family, and even casual accquaintances is beyond touching.
The ALS foundation got in touch with us asking who this Josh fellow was willing to run 50 miles!? lol! and they are planning some PR I believe. And yes as it gets a little closer and the route is mapped I will be getting with some local news and radio.

Amusing story about Josh. He returned state side the week of 9/11. and being station in NY he and a few of the guys spend some time being hosted at on of the fire houses in NY City. He said it was amazing sitting in firehouse kitchen seeing the memorial on the wall and listening to the stories. He said he was surrounded by heros. Guess our hero doesnt know he is one too!
 
WOW! What an amazing young man! I truly appreciate what he is doing. Kudos!
 
I thank him for his service both for what he is doing now and for our country. Truly a hero.
 
Kris and Vicki, I will definately pass the well wishes and thanks along to Josh!
and I know, right! You could have knocked us over with a feather when he sent us a message as to what he was planning
flabbergasted is a good word, lol!
 
Wonderful kid....god bless him
 
thought you all would like an up date on Josh's run. I mapped it out last week, drove from the end to find the exact start point and eyeball the 5mile points Josh wants food and water at ect..., anyway the crazy thing is the start point was an amazing thing! my Steve is a scuba instructor teaching a generation of divers around the tri state area, cave diver, and has managed the local dive shop for many years...and this run start point is The Museum Of Man and the Sea in Panama City Beach! I about fell over when I realized I was at 50 miles and there was the museum! I will be calling them to see if we can start this shing-ding in their parking lot
Josh will be here for thanksgiving and we wil tie up loose ends for dec 21st.
He has now surpassed $5,000! and he now has someone officially running a piece of this with him, Misty is registered to run and raise $150. They don't know each other and she was excited to see someone had donated $25 for her and she hasn't a clue who they are! Misty is the niece of a co worker of mine
please share the link with your friends, they always ask what they can do to help!

One Dollar Difference- Florida Chapter: 50 Miles For Steve - The ALS Association
 
the museum said they would be more than happy to have us start the run at their place! They are evening going to open the place up at 6AM for usto send Josh off. AND Misty is organizing a relay of runners so Josh is never running alone, and she is getting T shirts.
The Chase car and support team is coming together, so many folks want to help.
A customer of mine wants a head count of the runners so she can donate running blankets.
It makes me so proud of my community....that sounds corny but I don't know how to put it in words....
 
ok, so there are now a head count of 17, that's SEVENTEEN! runners who will be relaying themselves in and out of this run with Josh! several of them running 10-15 miles!
T-shirts have been donated as well as 5 mile marker signs from the local print shop, SOS Printing.

Josh got to town for Thanksgiving and stayed with us with his 2 daughters, 4 and 7. We drove the route of the run and visited the museum. I think Steve enjoyed the museum even more than the kids did! It had a wonderful lay out of the history of diving and TONS of old dive gear and a large collection of dive helmets. and there was a corner dedicated to cave diving which was my Steve's forte`. It was a most enjoyable day.

the 21st will be here soon!
 
That's such an exciting and up lifting event - A tribute to you!

Hope you post some pictures!
 
I sure will Elaine!
 
OMGosh!the 21st is coming fast than Christmas! things are falling into place. mile markers signs were dropped of yesterday I will get them out on the route wed.
T-shirts are in. chase car organized, relay runners organized....only few more things to do...

Josh is pumped! and he just posted this on FB, thought I'd share it with you all:

" Alright friends next week is the big run. I will take off early on the 21st and complete 50 miles in honor of my good friend Steve Powell who was diagnosed with ALS. When I first started this I was only planing to raise a few hundred dollars and run my ass off. Nothing big and exciting was running through my mind at the time. However this thing has blown up and is bigger than I ever imagined. A lot of people stepped up to donate and offer their help. Supposedly I will have new friends joining me at different point through out the whole run so I will never be alone. T-shirts were made, safety vehicles with crews have been provided and so much more. Over $6000 has been raised, I was only planning on the goal being 500$. I wasn't aiming big enough because I forgot how great people can be sometimes. Thanks for all the help, love and support. See you next week.

Still looking for a few more donations
Homepage - ALS Association "
 
the girls, my granddaughter and a couple friends, spent the afternnon adding bling and shine to the 5ml markers, to make sure they are seen! lol my front room was covered in sequins!
so here is my first attempt to post a picture or 3...hope it works!
 

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