Team Mobility Athlete Jacqueline at the Long Beach Marathon

Team Mobility Athlete: Jacqueline Anzalone

Event: Long Beach Marathon                  Location: Long Beach, CA

The Story: One of the first official local Team Mobility events, the Long Beach Marathon brought Free Wheelchair Mission in front of thousands of people new to us. The two-day Health & Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday allowed the 50,000 expo visitors to stop by and learn more about the special wheelchair that has changed the lives of so many. As an official featured race charity, FWM was highlighted throughout the day by the expo announcer, and had a prime location in the heart of the expo.

Jacqueline Anzalone was the top FWM runner-fundraiser for this event. This was her fourth time running and fundraising on FWM’s behalf, previously participating in the annual Run for Mobility event at the Surf City Marathon. She was thrilled to learn that FWM was coming to her hometown of Long Beach, CA. She even personalized her official race bib to say “IRUN4WHEELS”!

Jacqueline’s Fundraising Tip: “The key to fundraising is to ask a lot of people for a little bit of money,” she explained. Spreading out the ask to a lot of people means that no one feels obligated or financially uncomfortable about donating, since it’s just a small amount. Her last donation was received when she reached out to her roommate, who hadn’t donated yet, by explaining that she was only $5 shy of her fundraising goal. When Jacqueline woke up the next morning, a crisp $5 was waiting for her on the counter. “A lot of people working together can have a big impact”, she said, which just shows that together, we can lift lives around the world.

Volunteer Highlights:

• Long time Free Wheelchair Mission supporter, fundraiser, and two-time Olympian Ozzie Zea volunteered at the expo, and was interviewed by a local online community media & news team, Long Beach Voices.

• 15 volunteers from UCI and CSULB worked hard at the FWM water station on mile 7.5, where all 23,000 racers passed by our banners to grab water on the go.

 

 

•  FWM was the official volunteer group for the Wheelchair Division marathon. There were 23 athletes in all, competing in either handcycles or racing chairs. One was also a FWM fundraiser!

 

Lives Transformed by Jacqueline to Date: over 23 (so far!)

Lives Transformed by the event Team Mobility Long Beach 2011: 29

    

Take-Away Tip: A lot of people each giving a little bit of money works. You don't necessarily need large gifts - lots of little ones will add up faster than you'd expect.