Racing for a Just Cause: Semper Tri

It has been a very busy week. Registrations have really soared in the past two weeks and we are now 100 days away from the Tri for Our Veterans race. A number of news organizations have started to pay attention and I am guessing there will be a few stories about the race, once the weather breaks and Memorial Day comes into focus. In two interviews this week, I stressed the participation of Team Semper Fi and the courageous veterans who make up this team. Team Semper Fi is made up injured Marines and Sailors who participate in sporting events to help raise funds and awareness for our wounded. Check out their site by clicking HERE and learning more.

One question was raised in both interviews: "Ok, so 50% of the money goes to the VFW to refurbish the town's Veterans' Memorial fountain. The other 50% goes to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. What do they do?"

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a phenomenal organization-- 94% of every dollar raised goes directly to the injured Marines. They have a very low administrative overhead rate. The short answer is-- they do anything and everything to make a wounded Marine comfortable when returning home. Yes, the government provides a lot of resources for our injured soldiers, but they cannot provide all things.

As an example, The Inquirer published a story about a local Marine, Cpl. Raymond Hennagir, as he returned home from Iraq. Click HERE to read it. Cpl. Hennagir returned home from the front when an IED blew off both of his legs and part of his hand. His one request was to attend his platoon's homecoming from Iraq at Camp Lejeune, which would require a special medical van for the long distance trip. The US Government cannot pay for these types of requests; this is where The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund comes into play-- they paid for Cpl. Hennagir's trip to welcome home is fellow Marines. Cpl. Hennagir was 21 years old at the time of the explosion.

I first heard of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund in this article. Combined with the article in the NY Times, this article pushed me to create the Tri for Our Veterans race. I am hoping you will join us on Memorial Day weekend and have some fun, honor our veterans, and cheer on Team Semper Fi.

Don't forget to REGISTER for the race. Click HERE.