Joe Overbey's Marathon Team ACCESS Page

My name is Joe. Last year I took my nine year old daughter to watch the Boston Marathon. I had never been, and was simply looking for ‘something to do’ for the start of April vacation. Honestly, I was ignorant as to what an event the Boston Marathon is. The infectious energy of the crowd encouraging each runner on, as if the fate of the world depended upon that person finishing, the soldiers running in battle dress uniform and combat boots, the blossoming smiles of the gassed runners as they get ever closer to the finish.….like many others I found the whole experience inspiring, and I was only a witness not a participant. Few events in life end up living up to their hype or even exceeding it. The Boston Marathon is one of those events. Taking the train home that day last year the faintest pipe dream started to take shape in my head that I could run it, that I needed to run it. At first I thought it was just a pipe dream. I really didn’t care for running 2 miles on a treadmill never mind 26.2. Before training now, the last time I really ran any substantial distance was in the military 17 years ago and the furthest was only 12 miles. I was ready to file this idea away, and let it be a side note on my bucket list that never got crossed out. Luckily I am engaged to one of the most positive people I have ever met. I’d share my thoughts with my fiancée, and she kept telling me ‘You can do it! I know you can. I know you want to’. With her encouragement and support I made the commitment.

Not only am I running the marathon, but also I am making my run count for others. I have been blessed with the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon for ACCESS, a non-profit that helps inner city low-income college ready students secure financial aid for post secondary education. This charity means a lot to me. Personally I know what it is like to try to finish a degree when life gets in the way. I am 37 years old student still working on my last few credits of my Bachelor’s degree. Why is ACCESS a great charity you ask? Every dollar spent by ACCESS translates to $61 in secured financial aid for students. If I can reach my goal of raising over $5000 that translates to more than $300,000 in financial aid. That is enough to fund a few college educations. These are tough economic times, and a college education matters more than ever. The unemployment rate was last at 9.8% for the country, but it is only 5% for college graduates. A college degree is a difference maker, and if I can help but one kid achieve their goal then it is worth it for me. This is where I need your help in making a difference. No donation is too small. Thank You for reading my story.