Inheritance of Hope Stories
There are so many great races in the fall. From 5Ks to Marathons, what you wear has a big impact on your performance. From shoes to hats, it is good practice to plan your race day wardrobe weeks before the race… I’m not an expert on shoes and clothing…
My father-in-law is a Chaplain in the Air National Guard. He is currently deployed to Manas, Krygystan where he is serving at the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Chapel. This Transit Center ministers to many permanent party staff and also to hundreds of service men and…
Today I was speaking with one of our Marine Corps Marathon runners about what to eat for optimal strength, energy and recovery when training and racing. She mentioned she eats quite healthy – lots of raw food and lean cuts – but she wanted to know if…
My oldest, 9-year-old Elizabeth, has always loved horses. She even chose to have a horse-themed birthday party when she turned 6 years old. Despite her love for horses, she has never actually ridden a full-size horse. Well, this summer Adam and I decided she was old…
As the sun rose on the morning of July 3, Cheryl and Matt Broyles were climbing Half Dome in Yosemite National Park with their two sons: Grant, 14, and 12-year-old Clint. Gripping the cables that assist climbers on their ascent, the family enjoyed a majestic view…
When a runner hears that the marathon race he registered for is 16 weeks out, bells and whistles sound in his most inner-being. If he hasn’t already, this will be the week that he begins his marathon training plan. I ran my first marathon in 2007 – the…
We’ve all heard the African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” As a mother I recognize the truth in this statement as my children have benefitted greatly from the direction, discipline, encouragement and wisdom of many different people…
What does a Legacy Retreat “look” like? What is the importance of a legacy? You might be wondering what Inheritance of Hope is all about… A legacy can either be positive or negative. We are all in the process of leaving a legacy – whether we…
After the morning sessions, the families headed back into the parks… Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom were particularly popular today, with Expedition Everest and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin among the favorite rides. This evening, many parents…
(written by Children’s Counselor, Meg Hill) This morning the kids’ counseling sessions included many awesome activities, one of which I can’t share with you because it is TOP SECRET! But I will tell you that our topic today was how to deal with…
What a wonderful memorable first day!!! Everyone woke up and had an amazing delicious breakfast and superb service at the Doubletree Guest Suites…we are sort of celebrities here :). After breakfast we had great sessions with the children as well as the adults. …
The weather was perfect for the 2nd Annual Gerry Moors Golf Outing held at Winding Hills Golf Course on June 18, 2011. 46 golfers hit the links as the Moors family hosted this fun event to benefit Inheritance of Hope… The sun was shining, the temperature was…
I spend a lot of my time these days out at a baseball field cheering on my seven year old son and his all-star team, the Stingrays. I enjoy watching them play and cheering them on. One thing I do NOT enjoy is the unbearable heat that comes with June in Atlanta, GA….
What do Oprah, Drew Carey and Kristen Milligan all have in common? Answer: they all have, or will, participate in a Marine Corps Marathon endurance event. Oprah ran an impressive 4:29:15 MCM in 1994, Drew participated in the MCM Historic Half Marathon this past May,…
I live in Atlanta, Georgia. Home of the Braves, high temperatures, and southern hospitality. I love hospitality! In fact, I think if you quiz my closest friends and relatives they would tell you that hospitality is in my blood. I enjoy having guests in my home for…
To help remove surface bacteria from produce, including e.coli bacteria, you can follow this simple method of washing your produce… Olin Idol (ND, CNC), offers this easy method: Thoroughly washing our produce by a two step process using two spray bottles, one…
I don’t know what we did before GPS navigation. Now we just punch in an address and go. My family even gave our system a name…”Smart Sally”. We actually stole that name from another family but we like it so it stuck. Smart Sally has led us…
There are numerous runners throughout the US that have been continuously running for years – many over thirty years. They are men and women that run at least 1 mile every day of every week of every year. Mark Washburne, a 55 year old college professor from New…
30 days from today Inheritance of Hope will be welcoming 16 families from all over the country to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a trip of a lifetime!!! As I get to know these families, I am amazed at some of the similarities. In my mind I already see the…
People sometimes ask Natasha Elliott how she manages to do it all: care for her ailing husband and 10-year-old son while pursuing a graduate degree in nursing. Natasha, 27, said those who don’t know Mike, her husband of six years, don’t understand their marriage and…
When I consider purchasing something new whether it be a camera, television, car minivan, or refrigerator I find myself asking everyone I know for their opinion. I also have been know to search online for reviews and comments to help me make my decision. This also…
So…listen to this conversation from the backseat of my minivan the other day. Elizabeth: “Do I have any money in the bank?” Me: “Yes, it is for college.” Elizabeth: “I plan on working really hard at the piano and soccer so I can…
This past week, I celebrated my 50th birthday, and to my amazement it was quite exciting… I had thought I would dread leaving my 5th decade to enter my 6th … but, to my surprise, I feel a spring in my step and see life has the potential to be quite a bit…
I am proud to be a stay at home mom. Over the past 9+ years in this role, I can honestly say I have kept very busy managing my home and raising my kids. The past year and a half have been different with both kids in school all day, but I still manage to keep my days…
I value life greatly. Hopefully, you do too. There is no question the life we have here on earth is often times far too short whether it is 40 years or 99. It seems like, more often then not, we spend more time contemplating what we are going to make for dinner or…
I am not a runner!!!! There is no question about that. I actually have said, “One thing I will NEVER do in my life is a marathon….I have no desire!” I do, however, have several friends who have committed to running marathons for Inheritance of…
No one has won the NYC Full Marathon as many times as Grete Waitz. Waitz, 57, died this past Tuesday in Oslo, Norway. Grete had been diagnosed in 2005 with cancer. She never revealed publicly the kind as she didn’t want to put too much focus on herself and the…
Kristi and Mike DeCourcey are sun children of southern California, where movie sets and glistening beaches meet an unforgiving desert. Don’t get the wrong idea; neither lives a celebrity lifestyle. Kristi, 44, grew up in the Hacienda Heights community of Los Angeles…
I am in love…..have been for quite some time. Actually July 11th 2005 was the date we first met and it was NOT love at first sight. It was a practical relationship. My sleek trendy stylish Acura SUV had kind of died so… My man pulled in the driveway with…
We went over to some friend’s home the other night for dinner. My husband and I both agreed that the meal was awesome so I requested the recipe from my friend. Well, I don’t know what this says about me as a person but, I did not just make the meal for my family and…
Team Inheritance of Hope had a strong showing in the 2011 NYC Half Marathon. 21 runners raised over $35,000 to support young families with a parent experiencing a life-threatening illness. The March 20th race was a culmination of months of fundraising and training…
It is believed that a traveler once told the early American novelist James Fenimore Cooper, upon visiting Lake George and the Adirondack Mountains in 1824, “that here was the very scene for a romance.” Two years later, Cooper wrote his most famous novel, The Last of…
Three days ago we arrived as virtual strangers, and now we are saying goodbye to wonderful friends. There is no doubt everyone involved in this 2011 Disney Legacy Retreat, from staff and volunteers to family members, is leaving this weekend changed. Tommy Booth said…
This post was authored by Inheritance of Hope volunteer Mary Finch. Today the families got to explore the Disney Parks once again. Some chose to see wildlife in Animal Kingdom while others chose to check out the classics in the Magic Kingdom. Either way, a fun…
It’s a great day in Orlando Florida. The sun is shining. The temperatures are in the 70s. All of the families and volunteers are well-rested after a good night’s sleep. We met for breakfast this morning and then had a counseling session, followed by…
Everyone has arrived! The weather in Orlando today was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was shining and the temperatures were in the 60s and 70s. We were so excited to welcome families from Michigan, Iowa, Ohio, New York, California, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois,…
As the year is winding down to a close, and Christmas will soon be here, it’s a great time to reflect on 2010 accomplishments and 2011 goals. It’s also an opportunity to express my gratitude towards all who were involved in Team Inheritance of Hope events…
It is hard to believe we have only known each other 3 days. These past few days have really bonded us all together in such a wonderful and special way. The children created some very special relationships with our volunteers and staff. I heard more then one of them…
The weather continued to amaze us all day today as the temperatures remained around 60 degrees all afternoon and evening. The families walked about 4 blocks to Radio City Music Hall after lunch and enjoyed the legendary Christmas Spectacular Show featuring the…
Today was an amazing day! We kicked off this morning with a yummy breakfast at the Hotel Novotel enjoying the view of Times Square as we munched on french toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins and fruit. The Elliott boys were particularly thrilled at the large…
Times Square was hopping tonight! After our meeting time together we headed down to Times Square Hard Rock Cafe and it was the place to be!!! There were people everywhere. Many of us got to see ourself on the HUGE electronic billboard as we walked through the…
Today the Inheritance of Hope volunteers and staff have visited LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports and welcomed 7 families from Florida, West Virginia, Oregon, Utah, Texas, and Georgia. We are pleased to share that all the families arrived on time and with all their…
This past weekend, Team Inheritance of Hope members participated in the 35th running of the Marine Corps Marathon. The weekend began on Friday, with Inheritance of Hope hosting a booth at the Marine Corps Marathon Expo held at the Walter E. Washington Convention…
Most of my days are spent planning, coordinating and thinking about the upcoming Legacy Retreat in New York City. I am very excited to meet these 9 families and I am excited for them to meet each other. I was privileged to meet one of the families (pictured above)…
I was watching a movie with my son this week….The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. There is a climactic moment in the movie when the Narnians are fighting the Telmarines and things are not going well for the good guys. King Peter makes the decision to pull…
The clock is ticking. The Chicago Marathon is in 3 days. 18 weeks of training are behind me – I ran my last training run this morning – a 2 miler. It is a great feeling to know that I have finished my preparation for this Sunday. I have completed my…
As I sit by my computer, thinking about the above question, I wonder what could have possibly motivated me to run another marathon? Because I’m asking myself this question, I realize that my 20 mile run this Friday is weighing heavy on my mind! I have…
When my gas light comes on I know I have another 60 miles (at least!) until I will run out of a gas. I tend to push that limit and have been known to be a little risky when it comes to keeping my tank filled. My husband, on the other hand, rarely lets his gas tank…
Soccer season is in full swing in my life right now. Most of my days are spent in a black canvas fold-up chair next to a huge field of grass. I have learned a few lessons from my days at the soccer field. If you try to play offense and defense at the same time,…
I have a real interest in food, including food quality. What we put into our bodies matters – for race performance, as well as for general health. I have been eating a vegan diet since 2003. This has been a little challenging – especially when trying to…
I just discovered an awesome new candy! The Pretzel M&M. It has an amazing sugary coating on the outside with creamy milk chocolate and a salty center. It is so delicious. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should. (In fact, if you post on this blog I…
Isn’t it a strange thing when you find yourself on an airplane seated next to a complete stranger for several hours? Not only are you seated next to this person but your arm hairs are touching, you can smell their breath and with one false adjustment you could…
Spots are still available to run with Team Inheritance of Hope in the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon to be held October 31, 2010 in Washington DC… This year is the 35th Anniversary of the marathon. “The MCM will share the celebration of its 35th…
Inheritance of Hope enters many events as a Team but there are so many other events that one can take part in as an individual athlete. Last year, I entered the Lexington (Michigan) Sprint Triathlon – my first triathlon ever… This year, I didn’t…
Our first post is up! Meet Jill Thompson (Legacy Retreat Coordinator) Several years ago I received a phone call from my best friend’s husband that she had come out of surgery well, but the tumor was malignant. I had been called to their home to take care of…
The journey of marathons and side roads… and Team Inheritance of Hope. Welcome to the new Team Inheritance of Hope blog! I’ll be blogging about endurance events, athletes, Inheritance of Hope events and happenings, families and much more. I’m…
“Every Family Deserves a Legacy”® Three days ago, we were all relative strangers, and now we are a family — a family that has laughed together, cried together, played together, and learned together. We have all been challenged to look at our lives…
Our third day together was packed with fun. The big event was our much-anticipated whitewater rafting trip. Some of us were a little nervous about being at the mercy of the Sacandaga River, but we boarded our rafts in groups of eight and shoved off. Immediately we…
Greetings from day 2 of the Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat! We had an incredibly beautiful day here with highs in the low 80’s and brilliant sunshine. Not only were the temperatures high, but all of us experienced great “highs” today, both…
The first day of our Summer Legacy Retreat! We are very excited that our Inheritance of Hope “family” has grown tremendously in the past 24 hours with the arrival of some amazing families to the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge and Indoor Waterpark in Lake…