100 miles.
That’s the distance from my hometown to Chicago, an interstate’s drive that takes nearly two hours. I have no idea how long it would take to walk it. Especially not in the middle of a muggy Midwestern summer.
100 miles.
It’s a number that scares me because it is SO big. And yet, it’s nothing compared to some other numbers.
Numbers like 65 million. That’s how many people are living as refugees or in refugee-like situation worldwide.
100 miles is small when compared to the thousands of miles some refugees travel to find safety, in the pursuit of hope for a better life.
But 100 miles is still important. Let me tell you why.
Over the next eight weeks, I have pledged to walk 100 miles to raise money for a local organization that helps refugees in our community. (My husband has also taken this pledge, so whatever you read here, double it. That’s what we need to achieve.)
Between today and Oct. 8, it is my goal to walk 12.5 miles each week. That’s about 1.8 miles a day.
Why on earth would I do that?
Because there are people on this earth who need help and Church World Service is providing the help. Over the course of 10 days, our local CWS office welcomed 59 refugees and asylees. That’s double their monthly average. In just 10 days.
In the coming days, I want to tell you more about my time with the refugees I meet while volunteering with CWS. But today, I’m asking if you’ll consider sponsoring this goal. I’m joining a team of 30 people who each have the goal to run or walk 100 miles in the 8 weeks. We’d like to raise $7,500 as a team, which breaks down to $250 per team member.
That’s $2.50 per mile.
You can pledge per mile or make a donation.
In case you need more math help like I do:
Ten cents a mile would be a $10 donation if I walk all 100 miles.
Twenty-five cents a mile equals a $25 donation.
Fifty cents a mile would a $50 donation.
I welcome any and all pledge amounts or donation. If you want to make an online donation instead of a pledge, you can go here.
If you’re interested in pledging, leave a comment or send me an e-mail at lmbartelt (at) gmail (dot) com or a PM on Facebook and I’ll add your name to my pledge sheet. All the money collected stays in Lancaster to help with the resettlement efforts here. I know that for many of you reading this, that’s not your community, but I can tell you firsthand what happens to that money. I can tell you the names of the men, women and children who directly benefit. If you have any questions, please ask.
We’ll be reporting our miles to CWS every week, and I’ll keep you updated on our progress.
Let me tell you from the start: this will not be an easy goal for either of us. Many of our teammates will be running these miles. Phil and I will be walking, for various fitness-related reasons. But we are determined to do this.
If you’re interested in joining either one of us for a walk, we’d welcome the support. Times of day will vary based on work schedules.
100 miles.
Let’s do this.