I have always enjoyed physical activity and group fitness but historically I've never enjoyed running. This year, my friend mentioned that she was running the half marathon but unlike past years her sister wasn't available to do the race with her. Usually their mom would cheer them on but this was going to be the first year without their mom. I'm not a runner but I'm passionate about supporting people when the opportunity presents itself.  When my aunt died, Becca hung out with me a good chunk of the day and she's been a faithful friend through other ups and downs. This year I am running in part to support my friend and in part to raise money for the children at the youth home.  Children are amazing- they're brave, incredibly resilient, smart, funny, vibrant, fun loving beings. In a perfect world, children would be protected from abuse, neglect, negativity and instead would just be focused on having fun, learning and exploring their environment. We're far from a perfect world but I'm happy and honored to partner with the youth homes in an effort to support the children in this community.