NEXT EVENT: 14 OCT - Race up Vesuvius



Fundraising #ForTheirThoughts!
Have fun for a great cause! *

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Dear Sponsors 
Support the Run 
Join the Fight
Click on the Site :)



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Dear Runners 

Registration Form: 
Click HERE 

When:  
14 October @ 10am

Race Options: 
2k, 5k or 10k
Walk/run/crawl up Mt Vesuvius

Race Fee: 
€20/€15 (under 18)**

**Note: Race fee for is NATO to put on the race – covering the race administration and transportation.  Donation can be made thru http://pennyfortheirthoughts.blogspot.com/


Registration Form: 
Click HERE 
  • Fill out form and sign.
  • Send to Betsy Hall: fortheirthoughts@gmail.com by 7 October
  • Payment and race details will be emailed upon registration.  (20 euroes)
  • Ci Vediamo!!  See you on the race day!
DEADLINE to Register:
7 October 2015






*NOTE FOR RACE PARTICIPANTS: Team Dementia is independent of US Military or NATO.  Vesuvius Race is being put on by NATO and not affiliated directly with this team. Team Dementia, in parallel to the race, is joining together to run.  
If you would like to run the race on your own, please visit VesuviusRace2018 Facebook Page.  

RE donations: All proceeds go to UCSF Bluefield Project and their 21 institutes aggressively advancing research toward a cure.  The Bluefield Project is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible and our tax ID number is 27-2444495.  Bluefieldproject.org for more information.
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Ripples are getting BIGGER in 2018 - Race is On



One year ago, I woke up and posted this video: that I would run up a volcano every week to raise $100,000 for dementia: (love you, mom).  I had NO IDEA where that journey would take me or what I was getting myself into, but I knew as soon as I posted: forward was my only option. No matter how hard it would be... 

*Emotionally:* --
The runs forced me to relive my mother’s dementia—stripped from her were words, ability to read, write, talk, bath or dress herself, walk, and eventually to eat or swallow… – it broke me to relive it, I questioned why I was doing it…there is a lump in my throat even writing this….but remembering my mom’s loss of words  gave me strength to find mine and fight for what she couldn’t.  ~WE need to be the voices of our loved ones that can’t fight for themselves!~

*Physically* -- 
Blisters and muscle aches forced me to push my limits further than I ever have before, and now I’ve run two marathons and am training for my first ultra (46 miles). 
*Mentally* --
The things I didn't know...campaigning, hours of training, social media, making videos,  (You all had to teach me Instagram and how to use a GoPro -- I held and shot sideways for the first two runs...).  And that full time job thing kept taking up daylight... But in the end, I learned to embrace the true meaning of time management, **mental strength** and youtube tutorials. 

But most importantly: it brought me back to the present and to be grateful for every moment of every day.

 Asking for help makes me incredibly uncomfortable…but in doing so, it brought me closer to friends and family, like my cousin Diane and Joe, as they now stand by their father’s side battling Alzheimer’s. 

I took this crazy goal on by myself ...but too quickly learned I was and AM NOT alone!
+36 people joined the climbs. 
+54 regular people contributed to successfully reaching the first milestone of $10,000 in just 6 months. 
+100s reached out with words of comfort, encouragement, shared the videos on social media…
+Dozens shared their own dementia journey’s with loved ones…
I learned so much about my own mental and physical strength, but more importantly, 
****how empowering love and support of a community really is****

And I’m going to take that love and support (and fear of failing you) and use it as my fuel to keep going. 

JOIN US:
At the end of October/Early November – I welcome you to join the For Their Thoughts Vesuvius Team for our organized climb (walk or run) up Mt Vesuvius -- either in person or remotely.   Tickets will be sold here: https://www.facebook.com/RunningforTheirThoughts/ 

"For Their Thoughts," thanks to your support and confidence, will become a formal Non-Profit for dementia by 2019– proceeds continuing to go to research for a cure plus help for current caregivers,

That $100,000 I proclaimed to achieve one year ago IS achievable and WILL happen.   For my mother’s thoughts. For my nieces and nephews thoughts.  For the millions and millions of our loved ones suffering and those that inevitably will if we don't do something.  FOR THEIR THOUGHTS.  FOR OUR THOUGHTS.  We will do this.  Thank you.    
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Firsts: Originally Posted EASTER 2013

Hold the door say please say thank you
Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie
I know you got moutains to climb but
Always stay humble and kind
When the dreams you're dreamin' come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride but
Always stay humble and kind

HAPPY EASTER to you all! 
HAPPY 8th  BIRTHDAY to my niece, Emmagene 
and 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Dad and Mom.   

I could be sad she's gone but instead I'm so grateful everything she's given me; including the reminder of how precious and beautiful every moment is. 


I originally posted this 5 years ago - the first Easter after my mom passed.
It seemed fitting, being my parents' anniversary, to post it again.  


Every moment is a first.  Let's live in the present today and experience whatever first is today for you.

#ForTheirThoughts

2013: "Eg" (Emmagene/grandaughter, 3) hunts for Eggs!


2013: Josh (grandson, 19mts) dyes his first easter egg with Mom (Megan)

2013: Lily: "Emmys!! what you got in there?"




Every moment is a first.  But then again, every moment is a last. I could go on about how this is the first Easter in 35+ years my dad is not with my mom.  Tomorrow - April 1st - is their Anniversary-- their 35th Anniversary.  Tomorrow, for the first time, my dad will not celebrate with her. 

But this Easter is also, for so many, your child’s first Easter or first Easter with your wife/husband or maybe the first time you've hosted the dinner.  First time in a new house?  Or on the other end of the spectrum, first time you had to work this holiday and could not make it home or to the family gathering.

For us, it is the first Easter since Mom passed.  But yesterday was the first March 30th we spent without her and tomorrow will be the first April 1st since her passing.  My cousin, Shelli, recently lost her 43 year old husband to brain cancer.  It is her first Easter as a widow.  But his organs were donated and saved 6 lives.  Six people will, for the first time in a long time, have hope this Easter because of Shane.  SIX!!

“Firsts” are what you make them out to be.  Do I miss Mom today?  Absolutely.  But I missed her yesterday and I will miss her tomorrow.

Today is my first Easter spent in Texas (visiting, not living here).  I went for a run in shorts and a t-shirt for the first time outside since I started training for the marathon.  I had pizza for Easter dinner for the first time, ever, because we waited too long to get to the grocery store and now it is shut.  Heidi spent her Easter with our 19 month year old nephew for the first time and watched Josh look for Easter eggs for the first time.  Roth and Christina watched their 3 year old, Emmagene, and 20 month year old, Lily, look quizzically at the empty egg carton in the fridge and ponder what the Easter Bunny did with all the eggs, for the first time.


And so, I will eat a Reese’s peanut butter egg this holiday and smile; it was Mom’s favorite.  And I will reminisce about how much I looked forward to and loved to make homemade chocolate candy with her….candy molds,  chocolate covered pretzels, raisins, Buckeyes, chocolate covered coconut... if you could dip it in chocolate, we did.

But I will continue to live.  I enjoyed my pizza because she would have laughed at my inability to plan and then she would have made me a ham and mashed potatoes next time I was home to make up for it.  I will continue to have firsts and appreciate them because that’s what mom would have wanted.

Even if this Easter was the same tradition as last year and you feel it was routine, it wasn't.   Every moment is a first. 

So I challenge you all to look around and appreciate those firsts.  Because those firsts are also lasts.  Nothing goes according to plan, so if people were late for dinner, or the stuffing did not turn out the way you wanted, or your mother in law or aunt got on your nerves- again….who cares.  Let it go.  Enjoy where you are, what you have, and even what you don’t have.  Breathe it all in.  Look at the person next to you and the people you love and appreciate them.  Because you can.


To all of you:
I wish you a very Happy Easter/Passover/Just another Sunday.
April 1, 1978 - first days as husband and wife (Mary and Dan)
Easter 1980 something....
Easter 1993 - Nanny and Grandpop's, New Jersey
Another photo in the dining room (have you caught on to the trend yet??) - Easter 1994?


Looks like we moved to the living room this year for the Easter shot!

1999 - Home - Last year we'll all fit on the couch together (L-R Heidi, Betsy, Tina, Adam, Megan)

First time on a bicycle built for two - Mom, Heidi, Tina, Megan, and Me at the beach . All taking turns and enjoying the sun!

2001, Mom visits her first daughter at college.  


~May your year be full of many firsts~

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