Jessie & Luka are both SFN veteran Track Commanders but this was the first event for the FIA Fort Mill ladies, all of whom seamlessly represented the mission of Speed For Need – fostering inclusion and raising awareness of those with special needs through participation in fitness events. Jessie’s mom told YHC that this was such a fun, high energy experience for her, complemented by her enthusiastic drivers and the cheering spectators offering high fives and words of encouragement.

Congratulations Jessie & Luka! Check out the event video recap:

 

It was a perfect Saturday morning for a 5k race to support a great cause and an even better excuse to hang with my fellow FiAs and their 2.0s/families. Of course, Team FiA & F3 have PoliPower were the first team to arrive on “team island” and picked the perfected shaded spot. Charlotte’s Freedom Park was buzzing with excitement as vendors were in full force setting up for the morning festivities. Speed for Need arrived and we decorated our chariot for Angela. Angela is currently seeking treatment for Ovarian cancer and was so excited to be there with us. Her contagious smile made the blue skies above seem even brighter! It was such an honor to meet her and have FiA pushing her through the race or as they say “who pushed who?”

Congratulations Angela!

It has been a FAST and FUN year since our founders had the idea to start Speed For Need. We have already pushed over 80 track commanders from WWII veterans, to Cancer survivors, to those affected by Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy and several other special needs. We have pushed these track commanders in over 25 races, been joined by over 1,000 men of F3 Nation and made progress in our mission of closing the gap between those with a special need and the fitness community. Pretty cool, right? We think so too, but much like the view that our track commanders have as they ride with us, we are not focused on where we have been, but where we are going…

The support we have had as we have brought Speed For Need to life has been more than we could have imagined. We are surrounded by so many incredibly talented individuals that have given so selflessly to help us in many ways. Additionally, the financial provision from hundreds of private donors and corporate matching programs has allowed us to make significant investments as we have tried to keep up with the incredible response to our cause. Our primary investments thus far have been in custom racing wheelchairs (8 total), trailers to haul them, track commander ‘swag’ and overall startup costs. Now that we have this established base of assets…what’s next for Speed for Need?

• We know that we will continue to follow our mission. ‘To raise awareness and foster inclusion of those with a special need through participation in fitness events supported by the men of F3 Nation’.
• We know that we will make every attempt to afford as many track commanders as possible the opportunity to cross the finish line with us
• We know that we will need more help to keep the momentum going…

One of our primary objectives right now is how we can ensure that we can financially fuel our future operating costs. We are looking at multiple fundraising opportunities including community engagement events and corporate partnerships. Our most promising opportunity right now was, once again, brought to us by one of our own F3 PAX.

The program that we are in contention for is through Daimler Trucks North America and it is part of their ‘Daimler Cares’ Corporate Giving program. Daimler trucks has a facility right here in the Charlotte area and has a unique way of running their program in that they empower their employees to determine the cause that they feel has the biggest opportunity to serve the local community. A financial infusion like what Daimler is offering could be a total game changer for us. This type of donation would cover our operating costs for over a year AND allow us to rebuild our financial reserves that have been depleted by the investments that we have made in our racing equipment. These costs will NOT go to paying employees as we are a 100% volunteer organization.

Our primary ask TODAY is that if you or anyone that you know is affiliated with Daimler Trucks please help us spread the word about our cause as a gift from a program like this is EXACTLY what we need to continue to grow our mission and serve those with special needs. Thank you to Daimler for allowing us to be considered as a potential recipient of the Daimler Cares funding!

The first run was a simple but powerful one mile mosey down Main Street in downtown Columbia, SC with the best escorts a runner could ask for, all kinds of SC Law Enforcement vehicles! Cars, Trucks, & Bikes…OH MY!

Great job guys! Check out the event recap:

It was a gorgeous Saturday at the Sarcoma Stomp. So many cancer survivors, cancer patients, and their families and friends were dressed in team colors – Team for London, V4V (Victory 4 Virginia), The Tumornators, just to name a few.. And in the middle of it was Speed For Need, Inc, providing locomotion for three young cancer fighters and Jamie, an inspiring survivor who beat sarcoma 36 years ago. F3 Pitino, F3 Sir Topham Hat, and F3 Scabby had the privilege of driving Jamie, who was diagnosed with a rare form of Sarcoma at a young age and is one of the few who beat it and never looked back. She has been a part of the Sarcoma Stomp in the past but before today she had never participated in the race. Speed For Need, Inc made it possible for her to ride side-by-side with so many people impacted by Sarcoma and cancer in general.

Inclusion is one of SFN’s primary missions. Today the men of F3 Nation provided the means (the speed!) for Jamie and three others to be a part of their race. I was proud to be a part of the team today and I hope we inspired others to be more engaged with the cancer community. Who pushes who?