When I retired, I went looking for adventure. Somewhere along the way, my Just Pete adventures became about something bigger than me.
My hike of the Appalachian Trail, walks on the Camino de Santiago, and bicycle ride across America covered thousands of miles and raised more than $150,000 for charity.
Three organizations benefited from those adventures. Each one had a personal connection.
Sun Dial Manor is a nonprofit skilled nursing home in Bristol, SD, the small town where I grew up. My grandmother, aunt, friends, parents of friends. have all spent their final days there. I will probably be there someday, too!
Throughout my adventures, supporters could choose to direct their donations to Sun Dial Manor. Those contributions helped fund improvements that gave residents and their families a better place to spend time together.
K9s For Warriors pairs specially trained service dogs with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and other service-related trauma. Many of the dogs are rescued from shelters, giving both the veteran and the dog a new beginning.
Our fundraising was enough to sponsor two service dogs that were paired with veterans.
The first was Blaze, named for the white blazes that mark the Appalachian Trail. The second was Gerty, named after the bike that carried me 4,535 miles from Washington to Key West.
Kris and I had the privilege of attending both graduation ceremonies and meeting the veterans whose lives Blaze and Gerty would become part of.
Of everything that came from these adventures, knowing that two veterans received service dogs because people chose to support the cause is pretty hard to beat.
My connection to the Down Syndrome Program at Boston Children’s Hospital began with Mae, the daughter of friends and the inspiration for adding the program as one of the charities supported by my adventures.
The program provides specialized care, resources, and support for people with Down syndrome and their families.
Our fundraising helped support Mae’s Market, a resource center within the program where families can obtain developmental, therapeutic, and educational tools for their children free of charge.
Knowing those donations helped families get resources they needed was another reminder that these adventures could accomplish a lot more than getting me from one place to another.
More than $150,000 raised. Three organizations supported. And one more reminder that the miles were never just about the miles.
Sun Dial Manor
