Medals4Mettle

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE my finisher medals.  I’ve registered for races because the finisher medal was irresistible!  Quebec City Marathon medal lit up,  Maine Coast Marathon medal showcased a stained glass flair to it.  Since 2002, I’ve been collecting many medals; mostly half marathons and marathons.  Interestingly, the ultras I’ve run have handed out creative forms of medals that depict more of the trail mentality, such as a cowbell (Pineland Farms 50K) and a railroad spike (Ghost Train 100).  Regardless of the form, I love them all!

This is what happens when there are 2 runners in the family!

Recently, I discovered Medals4Mettle.  Started in 2005, its mission is “to provide an opportunity for endurance athletes and runners to pay it forward by enabling the gifting and awarding of earned medals to others who demonstrate similar mettle, or courage, as they face life's challenges. Nearly every dollar donated goes directly to buy ribbons and pay minor expenses associated with our 501c3 public charity. Each of our dedicated staff is an unpaid volunteer and we network by email and conference calls from our homes and personal offices around the world to accomplish our mission.”  (http://www.medals4mettle.org/history.html)

Tonight, Scott and I sorted out our finisher medals we were donating, removed the ribbons as instructed and prepared them for their packaging and shipment.  Medals4Mettle affixes special ribbons before delivering to the recipients.

Always earned....never given.

Lastly, Medals4Mettle affords you the ability to deliver a medal attached to a specific recipient.   Since I don’t have a specific recipient, I thought of the next best thing.  My friend Meaghan’s brother Jason was taken by cancer as a young child.  So I will donate/dedicate my medals in honor and memory of not only Jason, but to all young children who are bravely fighting cancer or other life threatening or life changing diseases.  

Their mettle trumps any finisher medal I have or ever will earn.