Rachel is running The Beach to Beacon 10K in support of Day One!

A few years ago I worked as a counselor at a wilderness school for kids on probation. I met so many amazing kids who had no idea of the magnitude of their own potential. Many of the kids struggled to reach their full potential because of their drug and alcohol abuse. Imagine being an alcoholic at 16! Their addictions play a major negative role in their lives.

Recently a close friend of mine decided she needed to give up drinking alcohol and using drugs. She is now a recovering drug and alcohol addict in an outpatient treatment program. I am so proud of her and the success that she's achieved overcoming her addictions. I cheer for my friend and celebrate her successes, yet I know she could never have accomplished so much without the support of substance abuse services like Day One.

Another friend of mine works at Day One. She spends time with young people who are struggling to get their lives back on track. Her work is impacting people's lives. My friend is just one of the many people who help young alcoholics and addicts overcome their dependencies. If proposed changes to the Maine budget go through, Day One stands to lose a major part of its funding, thus eliminating many of its services, including (in all likelihood) residential substance abuse treatment.

The Beach to Beacon is a 10K road race founded by Maine runner Joan Benoit Samuelson (she won the Boston Marathon twice and the first ever women's Olympic Marathon, in 1984.) Every August somewhere on the order of 8,000 runners compete in the event. And this year the race organizers have chose Day One as their charity beneficiary. I have been training for the race since March, but I need to raise at least $500 by the end of May to earn a registration spot. I support Day One, and I want to run the Beach to Beacon, so I hope you will consider supporting both of us with a donation.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely, Rachel