ULTRA GIVING -l'origine

ULTRA GIVING  was started in 2009 as a fundraising project designed around  ULTRA Running. 
Ultra events in whatever form are about dedication, commitment and the general belief that anything is possible. Even changing the world. 
Even in miracles as a matter of fact...and therein lied my motivation behind this project. I want people to really believe that anything is possible because the fact i had even  signed up for doing this event (Vermont 50 mile run)  was somewhat of a miracle.
After knee reconstruction a few years before, i was told to forget about my dream of one day running a marathon. Well, 3 years and 2 marathons later, i was now dreaming of running an ultra-marathon but a "wakeboarding" accident cut this short and the 3 herniated discs in my back also had the doctors telling me to forget about any form of running. They told me I'd be lucky if i could walk properly and without pain. And pain, there was. Lots of it and constant - 24/7. But after lots of yoga (thx to my wife), positive thinking and lots of training,  3 years later i had 2 more marathons under my belt and getting prepared for my first 50 miler.
I know it wasn't cancer that I survived and i'm certainly no Lance Armstrong but the principle is the same... Miracles do happen at all sorts of levels for all sorts of people.
 
So, if this project could raise some funds for  great charities and that maybe...just maybe... one or 2 people come to our camp and start believing that anything is possible ---then it will all be worth it...

And so this first 50 miler was run in september of 2009, in the pouring rain and over very muddy trails, but after over 11hrs and change, I did reach the end and we also did reach our goal of  raising ``$50 000 for 50 miles``.
 
As a fact, for the inaugural effort in 2009, ULTRAGIVING had  3  organisations split close to $60 000

1) VASS- Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports ---is the organiser of the ULTRA MARATHON -VERMONT 50  -- and thus became a "natural" choice. In 2009, we were the top fundraiser  (out of 1100 racers) at the Vermont 50 raising close to  $4000 for VASS.
2) ROTH- Reach Out To Humanity ---  is about family and it is also a great story ...go read the story...  
In 2009 and 2010, UltraGiving helped ROTH raise close to  $40 000 to help them build a boarding school for young Maasai girl in Tanzania
3) FQMC - Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque -- My son has celiac disease  and we have been working with/for this "foundation" for a long time and in 2009, Ultragiving contributed close to $15000 to help the foundation continue to pursue its genetic research.

That was our first year and  in 2010, for different reasons ---our aim was little lower at $15 000 but still just as important.
This time however, we were running and biking the VT50 as a team. see our front page. 
In the end, we raised over 20 000$ for 3 more great organisations.

 
in 2009 --- before i even ran the VT50 for that frst time, i wrote the following  :

``One day -- we may try to run 100 miles to raise 100 000  dollars...that would be the dream...
Depends on you and me....
stay tuned...;) ``

Well that time as come...;) July 16-17 of 2011, i will be running 100 miles on the roads and trails of southern
Vermont in the VT100 and this time we are raising these funds for ``eternity`` as this 100k will be part of the new
``ULTRAGIVING ENDOWMENT FUND``


Ultra yours,
Gilles poulin

p.s. If you have any questions or are  interested in getting involved, do not hesitate to contact me at  gpoulin@ultragiving.com