Sunday, October 26, 2008

San Diego Triathlon Challenge 2008 - Photo Gallery

Inspiration in Motion

Jack Ahans, Kelly Bruno and Sandy Dukat.

Pure Joy.

Beams of inspiration.

CAF's executive director -Virginia Tinley here with Wendy Ingraham, and Keith Simmons


Go Rudy!

In Triathlon, those numbers could be ages, not race numbers.

A curious spectator.

Got www.triathletemag.com gear?

The start.

A happy dad.

Daniel Powell, another participant and Dan's daughter Dawn.

Skilled riathlon sports announcer and TV personality, Eric Gilsenan

www.competitor.com - a strong supporter of CAF.

Recognizing courage. Rewarding perseverance. Realizing dreams.

There’s a place on the Southern California coastline where courage has many faces …a home for heroes where perseverance comes through the door with a first name …a caring organization where dreams are nourished and brave hearts strive daily to reach lofty goals. This place is unlike any other in the world. This is the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF).

How Did It Begin?

CAF grew out of a desire to assist one athlete – trailblazing below-knee-amputee endurance racer Jim MacLaren – who suffered a devastating second accident while competing in a triathlon. Hit by a car during the bike leg, Jim was paralyzed from the neck down. His many friends quickly decided to raise funds for his recovery, and organized the first San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC) – an annual fundraising triathlon event at La Jolla Cove. From this modest beginning arose a more important mission – to make sure that people with physical challenges have the same freedom to enjoy sports that the rest of us take for granted.

How Do We Help?

Since 1994, CAF has raised more than $11 million – allowing the Foundation to satisfy thousands of funding requests from challenged athletes in all 50 states and dozens of countries. Eighty-two cents of every dollar raised by CAF provides funding, programs and a growing endowment fund that is getting challenged athletes into the game - and will continue to do so into the future.. Whether it’s a $2,000 handcycle, helping underwrite a $15,000 running prosthetic or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar injury, CAF’s mission is clear: give those with the desire to live active, competitive lifestyles every opportunity to compete in the sports they love. At the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece 45 of the 235 participating U.S. athletes (almost 20 percent) were supported by CAF. More recently at the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games in Torino, Itlay, CAF supported 23 of the 56 (41 percent) participating U.S. athletes.

What Still Needs to Be Done?

Sadly, despite our best efforts, many physically challenged athletes still remain on the sidelines. It is only through the hard work of our fundraisers, the generosity of our donors and the assistance of our corporate sponsors that CAF is able to continue fulfilling its unique mission. Their contributions give ever-growing numbers of challenged athletes a fair chance to realize their dreams, and breathe life into the stories of hearts and heroes, of inspiration and perspiration, of raw courage and “never-quit” attitudes that flow from CAF’s charitable efforts.

Why do Challenged Athletes Need Funding?

There are 35 million people living with a physical challenge in the United States. Equipment that allows these individuals to engage in active lifestyles is very expensive –in fact, for many, it’s cost-prohibitive. A single handcycle runs upwards of $2,000 and adaptive training and competition expenses can make moving to the “next level” of athletic performance an insurmountable barrier for many challenged athletes. Funding provided by CAF helps make it possible for more physically challenged people to gain access to this equipment and to the enhanced self-esteem that comes from participation in sports. To ensure these needs are met in perpetuity, CAF has worked hard over its first decade to build and grow an endowment fund that will continue to assist physically challenged athletes indefinitely.

Source: http://www.challengedathletes.org/

For more information on the Challenged Athletes Foundation please call us at (858) 866-0959 or email us at info@challengedathletes.org.

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