Thank you..........

Wow! What a weekend!!! THANK YOU RACERS – you all did an unbelievable job, and I am so proud of your accomplishments!

I want to thank the city of Sea Isle, Piranha Sports, all of our sponsors - and especially all of our family and friends who have been such a huge help and a great source of encouragement and support.

When I took this challenge on in January, I knew nothing - I didn't even know where to begin. To learn how to coordinate an event like this is not easy, and I have no idea how Matt did it. I have a new found appreciation for all of the work he did.

Matt did not leave behind much information on how he developed and ran this event (I think he kept it in his thick head!) I am not exactly an athlete, and had absolutely no experience with triathlons. The challenge was a very daunting one, but I knew I had to take it on, as TRI For Our Veterans was something Matt was extremely proud of, and it meant a great deal to him. He was so passionate and dedicated, and there was no way I could have let him, or the cause down.

There were a few bumps along the way, especially for a first time race director, and I would never have been able to organize or direct this event without these very special people:

1. Neil Semmel (Piranha Sports). I had never met Neil until after Matt passed away. After our first meeting, he made me feel so comfortable. He is an incredible teacher, has dedicated so much of his free time to helping me, giving me advice and guidance, and being my "go to guy" for pretty much everything! Neil, you are wonderful and a simple "thank you" is not enough.

2. The city of Sea Isle. The Mayor's Office, Police Dept., Recreation Dept. Dept of Public Works, the Beach Patrol - I cannot begin to tell you how incredibly NICE these people are. They have done so much, are so generous with their time, and great to work with. Vicki, Pattiann, Mike, John, and Renny - you are why Sea Isle is the great city that it truly is - THANK YOU!!

3. The Lynn Family......Uncle Buck is my right hand man. Although he tells way too many stories and bad jokes (which only he laughs at) he has been a huge help - attending all meetings, gaining new sponsors, and devoting much of his free time to the planning of this TRI. Aunt Patti – the greatest volunteer coordinator on earth! Organized should have been her middle name. Amy, Reenie, BJ, Doc and Melissa – thank you for all of your help and support, “Miles for Matt” was in full effect! Mikey and Zach – you are hired next year! By far the funniest and most entertaining finish line announcers out there, I am still laughing at some of the comments!

4. The Fordham Boys……Matt would have been proud! You were all on time, sober, and a HUGE help. I truly hope that you will come into town each year, we don’t get to see you enough!

5. Team Microsoft – quite possibly my 2 favorite people of the weekend! Rob and Fitz, thank you for traveling so far, keeping Matt’s memory alive, and talking with my mom. I enjoyed your company – and can’t wait to see those pictures!

6. Our generous sponsors….we raised over 40k for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Foundation and VFW Post 1963! It is incredible, and will make a difference in so many lives.

7. Team Semper Fi – did you see these guys??? Unbelievable. Not only are they extremely talented, they are extremely NICE on top of it all! It was an honor and privilege to meet them, and I look forward to seeing them all next year!

8. My mom and dad……As you can imagine, it has been a tough 4 months for them. Matt was their first born, they were so proud of all of his accomplishments, and there is not a second that goes by when they do not miss him and his huge smile. Through their grief, they have been a huge support and confidence booster for me. Even when I was stressed to the max, they believed in me. Love you guys!

9. My husband……Brett took on A LOT these past few months as I have been adjusting to life without my brother and best friend. There were many days/nights when we didn’t even see each other, as I devoted much of my time to this race. We have 2 little ones (1.5 and almost 3) and he has really stepped up to the plate! Thank you and love you too!

10. To all of our friends, family, and even strangers…….! Your dedication, cooperation, generosity, kind words, and support is what makes this event what it is. I am completely taken aback by the feeling of community that I have experienced over the past few months. Many of you stopped to share stories of Matt with our family - you have no idea how much this means to us. His name is spoken in our homes everyday, and we feel blessed that he is still remembered by so many of you.

I met some of the greatest people this weekend – many of whom said that TRI For Our Vets is their favorite race of the year. I hope it continues to be so for many years to come!

As I looked out over the crowd on Saturday, I saw nothing but smiles. That, along with knowing that our appreciation for our military is the basis of why we come together each year, is worth more to me than you will ever know.

Thank you for another great year and Happy Memorial Day!