Start Something That Matters

Have you heard of TOMS shoes?  They are cute and very comfortable, coming in several styles and lots of colors and patterns.  Check out my latest pair – math shoes!

What I like best about TOMS, however, is that for every pair of shoes you buy today, TOMS donates a pair of shoes tomorrow to a child who needs them.  (The company name comes from TOMorrow’s Shoes = TOMS.)  Children in developing countries can contract diseases through cuts in their feet when they have to go barefoot, and so a simple pair of shoes can keep a child healthy.  TOMS isn’t in it just for the profit; they are socially responsible at the same time.  What a great business model!

I started buying TOMS several years ago when I read about them in Heifer International’s magazine.  Last month when I wanted to buy some more TOMS, they were having a special promotion.  With a minimum purchase, you could get a free copy of Start Something That Matters (SSTM).  In this book, entrepreneur and TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie explains how he started the company and encourages the rest of us to start something that matters, whether it’s a business or other endeavor.  It sounded like this would be the perfect inspiration as I kick off A Year of Centuries.  I was right!

SSTM focuses on businesses, but it also emphasizes that all of us can do good things.  I’m becoming more and more aware that we can incorporate service and giving into all aspects of our lives, even hobbies.  I love riding my bicycle; how much better that I have figured out a way to help others at the same time.  It doesn’t even have to be that big.  If you need to buy yourself a pair of shoes anyway, why not help a child at the same time?  Or if you’re going through the checkout at the grocery store and they are collecting for the Special Olympics, why not donate a dollar or two?  The opportunities abound.  My challenge to you is to look for ways to give of yourself every day, maybe by just slightly reshaping something you’re already doing.

Gearing Up

Originally, I planned to ride my first century today, the first Saturday of the month.  However, a couple of months ago Robert and I planned a vacation (our first full week off in 2½ years!), and since we didn’t get home from the airport until nearly 2:00 A.M. this morning, I decided to wait until next Saturday to ride my January century.

I am ready to ride!  This is partly due to my growing anticipation, but also I’m hoping that the five days of riding we just did in Costa Rica will put me in great form to ride next week.  We were on an organized cycling trip with a company called Backroads.  We rode in the central portion of Costa Rica, which has volcanic mountains running the length of the country between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.  That meant LOTS of climbing, which I enjoyed very much.  One day we even climbed the continental divide, comparable to at least the Three Gap Fifty, probably closer to the Six Gap Century.  (These two rides are held in conjunction annually in Dahlonega, Georgia.)

Looking down at the clouds as we crossed the Costa Rican continental divide

Another reason my trip prepared me for A Year of Centuries is because of a New Year’s tradition common in Costa Rica and other Hispanic countries.  As the clock counts down the last 12 seconds to midnight on New Year’s Eve, you eat one grape per second, making a wish for the coming year with each grape.  It was a natural for me to wish for 12 excellent centuries and good exposure and generous donations for my 12 charities.

Well, the grape countdown was a good idea in theory. Usually, people use smaller, seedless grapes for the New Year’s countdown, but our group had rather challenging grapes – large and with seeds.  On about grape 8 or 9, I was laughing so hard that grapes were about to come out of my nose!

I didn’t get all 12 grapes eaten within the 12 seconds, but I hope it doesn’t matter anyway since we did this at 10:00 P.M.  (With our active schedule all week, none of us could stay awake until midnight.)  I hedged my bets and also followed the New Year’s tradition of the Southern U.S., eating some blackeyed peas and collard greens at lunch the next day.  Even if Robert thinks I’m loco, I’m glad I packed those cans in my suitcase.

Happy New Year of Centuries!

Happy New Year of Centuries!  Thank you for joining me on this adventure.  Today is the first official day of my yearlong project.  I am really looking forward to my first century, which will be on January 12.

As we begin A Year of Centuries, here is an overview of all of the charities that I will be riding for:

January – Face to Face, a program of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV) that provides free dental care and facial plastic surgery to victims of domestic abuse.  Although the causes aren’t the same, these women and I have suffered similar injuries.  I am extremely thankful to be doing so well, and I really want to help Face to Face patients feel better, too.

February – MATHCOUNTS, a nationwide program that promotes interest and excellence in mathematics among middle school students.  MATHCOUNTS provides fun and challenging math team coaching materials to every public and private middle school at no cost to them.  Participants often go on to careers in math, science, and engineering.  Math team was always my favorite extracurricular activity.  I myself was a “mathlete” as an 8^th grader in 1983-84, the first year that MATHCOUNTS existed.  After MATHCOUNTS, I continued on to my high school’s junior varsity and varsity math teams.  Lo and behold, years later when I joined the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), I discovered that it is a founding sponsor of MATHCOUNTS and hosts the chapter and state competitions.  For the past 15 years I have volunteered as the Middle Georgia chapter coordinator and a coach.  This year’s chapter competition will be on February 23, 2013 at Mercer University.

March – Bicycles for Humanity (B4H), an organization that provides bicycles for transportation in developing countries.  I really wanted to include a bicycle charity in A Year of Centuries, and thanks to a tweet from cycling announcer Paul Sherwen, I learned about Bicycles for Humanity.  Local chapters of B4H, like the one in Atlanta, gather unwanted yet still usable bicycles in the United States and ship them to people in other countries that can really use them.  Being able to get water, go to school, or visit the doctor via bicycle rather than walking makes a huge improvement in the quality of life of B4H recipients.  Additionally, each 40-foot shipping container of bicycles and parts, called a “Bicycling Empowerment Center,” becomes the seed for a local bike shop, providing local jobs and economic development.  Not to mention, all these bicycles get new life rather than being dumped into a landfill.

April – Southeastern Greyhound Adoption (SEGA), a volunteer group that finds homes for retired racing greyhounds.  My husband Robert and I have had at least one greyhound for the past 17½ years, and we just love them.  They are the best companions.  SEGA is run entirely by volunteers, who transport the dogs from the racetrack; make sure they get shots, are spayed/neutered, and receive any other needed medical and dental care prior to adoption; care for adoptables at our kennel and in foster homes; and promote adoption through meet & greets.  Many of us also do pet therapy with our own greyhounds at nursing homes, children’s hospitals, etc.  We all hope and work for the day when there are enough homes for all greyhounds.

May – BRAG Dream Team, a group of middle school students from low-income families across Georgia who are given the opportunity to participate in the annual Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG).  The Dream Team receives bicycles, helmets, shorts, and other accessories, and mentors lead them on the weeklong ride in June.  These students are able to set and reach a terrific goal and to see parts of our state that they might not otherwise get to experience.  Robert and I did BRAG several times in the mid 1990s, which played a large role in cycling becoming such an important part of our lives.  I hope that the BRAG Dream Team enjoys this year’s ride just as much.

June – ML&J Fund for Children and Youth, an outreach ministry of my church, Monticello Presbyterian Church.  ML&J provides back-to-school needs in July and August and works with the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) each Christmas to supply clothes, toys, and gifts.  Jasper County has a high rate of poverty, and the ML&J fund provides for some of our neediest residents.  ML&J is named in honor of Mary Lou and Jimmy Jordan, but as Mary Lou says, it also stands for Mercy, Love & Joy.

July – Bat Conservation International (BCI), dedicated to conserving the world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet.  Bats are essential to the balance of nature and human economies, pollinating plants and helping control insect populations that feed on such plants as coffee, pecans, fruit, and cotton.  However, bats face threats like loss of habitat, indiscriminate killing, and the devastating White-nose Syndrome.  BCI funds bat research, conservation, and education.  I first became aware of bats about 15 years ago when I read a fascinating article by BCI founder Merlin Tuttle in National Geographic.  I was so captivated that I told a friend, who introduced me to BCI.  I’ve been a member ever since, learning about these important yet misunderstood creatures.  One of the most magical experiences of my life was in July 2011, when Robert and I visited Bracken Cave, located between Austin and San Antonio, Texas.  Bracken Cave is the summer home of the largest known colony of bats in the world, 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats.  Seeing that majestic group of bats emerge for the evening was something I’ll never forget.

August – American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which has the one goal of improving the lives of animals.  Founded in 1866, the ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws, and share resources with shelters nationwide.  “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi

September – Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, an organization that provides free books for parents to read to their children.  Books are delivered to any child in Georgia once a month from birth through five years old; that’s 60 books!  As an avid reader myself, I am very happy to work with the Ferst Foundation to promote reading as a life skill and life joy in children.  Coincidentally, ever since the year 2000, I have set (and met) an annual goal of reading at least one book a month.  Maybe the children who receive books from the Ferst Foundation will continue their book-a-month practice.

October – Jasper County Community Food Bank (JCCFB), a volunteer organization to overcome hunger in Jasper County, Georgia.  Each week JCCFB feeds over 250 families and individuals through the local distribution center.  As of June 2012, 43.5% of Jasper County residents have utilized the food bank.  Through its partnership with the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, JCCFB can leverage each dollar donated to buy about five times as much food as you or I can at the regular grocery store.

November – Middle Georgia Down Syndrome Society, a group to support families with members who have Down Syndrome.  Funds are needed to provide educational materials for parents and to help defray expensive medical costs that Down Syndrome children often face.  Two of my cycling friends have children with Down Syndrome, and I’d like to support them and other families like them on their journey.

December – Heifer International, an organization whose goal is ending hunger and poverty, and caring for the Earth.  Founded in 1944, Heifer International provides animals (e.g., heifers, goats, water buffalos, chickens, rabbits, fish, and bees) and training to impoverished people around the world.  The animals can give milk, meat, or eggs; provide draft power; or form the basis of a small business.  Heifer is based on 12 Cornerstones, such as Sustainability; Genuine Need and Justice; and Gender and Family Focus.  Perhaps the best known Cornerstone is Passing on the Gift, in which Heifer recipient families pass on the offspring of their animals to others in need.  In this way, whole communities can raise their standard of living.

Merry Christmas from Bats!

Our bat friends from Bat Conservation International have given us gifts for the 12 days of Christmas!

Bats give us the gift of pears!  They help control pests that otherwise would destroy or damage pears.

Bats give us the gift of hot cocoa!  Chocolate comes from the cacao tree.  Bats help control the cocoa pod borer, the primary pest of cocoa growers.  Additionally, bats are important for seed dispersal of the cacao tree.

Bats give us the gift of pecan pie!  They help control pests that otherwise would destroy or damage pecans.

Bats give us the gift of apples via pest control!

Bats give us the gift of mittens!  They help control pests of cotton plants.

Bats give us the gift of gingerbread via pest control of ginger!

Bats give us the gift of bananas via pollination!

Bats give us the gift of pumpkin pie!  They help control insects that feed on pumpkins.

 

Bats give us the gift of cacti!  They pollinate cacti and disperse their seeds.  Bats also pollinate agave, another desert plant.  Agave is what gives us tequila for our margaritas.  Ole!

Bats give us the gift of coffee via pest control!

Bats give us the gift of tamales!  They help control pests of corn.  Also, tamales are traditional for Christmas in Mexico.

Bats give us the gift of fruitcake!  They control pests of many fruits, including cherries, peaches, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, and many more!

Lesson Learned

Today I had the sixth and final laser treatment on the scar on my chin.  I’ve been having these treatments every five to six weeks since June.  I go to my plastic surgeon’s office, but his nurse actually does the procedure.  I asked her if she pretends that she’s Dr. Evil with his “laser.”

In the months following my crash, I learned a lot of things.  I learned more about bone, teeth, and scar tissue than I ever thought I would.  Also, I pushed my personal envelope of mental and physical toughness as I waited through the long healing process and continued to train and race during that time.  One thing I discovered, though, surprised me.  I confess that I had a prejudice that I wasn’t even aware of.  I’ve had a very judgmental attitude toward plastic surgery.

Obviously, some people have a true need for reconstructive plastic surgery, like after a mastectomy, but (thankfully) this hasn’t been on my radar screen.  On the infrequent occasions I thought anything at all about plastic surgery, it was always in terms of what I considered unnecessary, even frivolous treatment – a nip here, a tuck there.  It never occurred to me that plastic surgery would be appropriate for an injury such as the deep laceration I got on my chin during the crash.  Nobody wants a disfiguring scar like that, especially on his/her face.  I’m grateful that one of my friends who visited me in the emergency room urged me to see a plastic surgeon right away.  If I had simply stuck with the sewing job that the emergency room doctor did, I probably really would look like some kind of inverted Frankenstein.  (One of my ongoing scar treatments has been three-times-a-day massage, which I jokingly refer to as doing the Monster Mash.)  However, between surgery and other treatments recommended by my plastic surgeon, the scar is not too bad.  It helps that it’s in the natural crease of my chin.  Regardless, I’m sure I notice it much more than anyone else does.

So, it turns out that plastic surgery can be a very good thing.  If it has made me feel so much better, who am I to say that someone else’s plastic surgery – of whatever variety – doesn’t help him or her just as much?  I needed a little plastic surgery on my thoughts, too, eh?  My hope is that I can always recognize and correct any other wrong in myself.  Proverbs tells us that wisdom and knowledge are more valuable than silver and gold.  Even Dr. Evil might say that they are worth more than…one million dollars.

Even I didn't know that cycling makes me this happy!

Ain't Skeered

The route on this morning’s group ride went by the site of my crash.  Without my even saying anything, my friends who were with me today were very perceptive and considerate, asking whether it was the first time I had been back there. It was, but I wasn't afraid.  Going back there does make me a little reflective, though.

Some people have asked me whether I have started riding again.  An understandable question, perhaps, but I always laugh to myself as I tell them I got back on my bike six days after the crash and raced a time trial the day after that.  (By the way, the fact that I did ride and race again so quickly may make it sound like my injuries weren’t severe, but they were.  They just didn’t physically prevent me from riding.)   If I really loved mass-start races, i.e., road races and crits, I’d probably still do them.  There are just so many other types of cycling that I enjoy more.

A healthy approach to cycling – and to life – requires a reasonable assessment of risk and benefit.  Sometimes people’s perception of risk is way off, as when they are afraid to fly but think nothing of driving their car every day; they are much more likely to die in a car crash than an airplane crash.  I don’t know what the probability is that I might ever have another cycling accident, but I’ll bet it’s a lot less than the probability of developing some chronic disease if I gave up cycling and starting lying on the sofa and eating bonbons.  Besides, the benefits of cycling are pretty compelling: the feeling of flying as the wind rushes by, the good kind of fatigue after a hard ride, camaraderie with cycling friends, and enjoying food and wine so much more.

During his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”  (For some good reading, check out this quote in the context of his speech: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5057/)  He was referring to the Great Depression, but people often – not incorrectly – extrapolate this wisdom to other life situations.  I like to think that his words inspired other polio victims that he met when he went to Warm Springs.  Another place that FDR frequented on his trips to Georgia was Dowdle’s Knob on Pine Mountain.  There’s a nice park there now.  Robert and I visited it for the first time a few years ago.  Maybe it’s not a coincidence that it was right after we did the Wheels o’ Fire Century.