About the fundraiser

Okay, so we contacted the Family Readiness Group (FRG) Coordinator for Casey's Troop to see what we could raise funds for to help out the soldiers & their families.

She said that donations are used for the following things:

1- Care packages for the soldiers - these may include DVDs, phone cards, snacks, etc
2- Events for the families - occasional gatherings are held for the families of the deployed soldiers so that they can bond with & support one another during the absence of their soldiers.
3- Possibly setting up dedicated internet service for the soldiers. This means that the soldiers would not have to wait in long lines for internet access, they can "talk" to their families whenever they have the time to jump on their computers.

How did we choose $3,200 as our goal?
Well, that part was easy...we chose that number to represent each of the 3,200 men & women deployed. How do we plan to reach that goal? By encouraging everyone who is able, to donate what they can.

Here are some thoughts on donation amounts:
$26.20 to represent the 26.2 miles were are going to run (after the 300 or so we run in training)
$32.00 - another play on the 3,200 troops
$100.00 - Get a mile in your name - Hurry! - there are "only" 26 miles :)
Or whatever amount you can donate will be very much appreciated!

How to donate:
You can mail us a check payable to Running 4 Red Arrows:
Running 4 Red Arrows
PO Box 432
Edgerton, WI 53534

Or you can use the DONATE button on the right sidebar to make a donation online through Paypal. You do not have to have a Paypal account to do this. You can pay from your checking account or via credit card this way. Rest assured this is a completely secure transaction.

Please note that if you would like your donation designated for a specific unit, you will need to e-mail us your name, the amount donated & the name of the unit you want to receive it. Thanks!

Why you should donate (if you are able):
There are 3,200 men & women and their families that are sacrificing for us! I know that we are all tired of the war and may have become numb to it by now. But these families are missing one another and the money you donate will help them to keep in contact with each other. It will also help the families to have the support they need, which will in turn let the soldiers rest a little easier. Yes, there are tons of "Support the Troops" efforts/organizations out there, but this is for supporting OUR troops - the 32nd Red Arrow Brigade. This is for the men & women deployed from OUR neighborhoods and their families.

What else you should know:
100% of the money you donate will be going to the Red Arrows. (We will cover all Paypal fees for online donations)

Please contact your tax advisor to determine whether or your donation is tax deductible. Running 4 Red Arrows IS registered for its own tax ID number as a non-profit organization, however, it is not officially a 501c(3)non-exempt charitable organization.

We did look into the possibility of forming Running 4 Red Arrows into a 501c(3)charitable organization but this would require hiring a lawyer, a minimum of $300 in registration fees, and time. We decided our money is better spent on the soldiers/families & our time on our training & fundraising.

Again, while you may or may not be able to deduct the donation, please rest assured knowing that we believe you will see benefit from your donation--we believe in karma, or paying it forward, or random acts of kindness, or the old adage that what goes around comes around. Thank you for your support of the 32nd Brigade!!

Who are the Red Arrows?

The Red Arrow Brigade is descended from the fabled 32nd Red Arrow Division, an infantry outfit mobilized in 1917 with 15,000 Wisconsin and 8,000 Michigan National Guardsmen -- the division earned its distinctive insignia, a vertical red arrow through a horizontal red bar, by piercing every enemy line it encountered in four World War I campaigns.

In February 2009, the entire 32nd Brigade Combat Team, 3,200 Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers, were activated along with six supporting units outside the brigade. They were given a send-off for a one-year deployment on 17 February 2009 at the Alliant Energy Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin. This is the largest operational deployment of the Red Arrow Brigade since World War II!

You can watch the deployment ceremony here.

Who we are & why this blog exists

Hi everyone,

Here's the scoop on why this blog exists. My name is Kelly Crandall and my sister is Abby Freeman. Abby had talked about running a marathon as kind of a New Year's Resolution type thing and I told her I have always wanted to do that. Now keep in mind that Ab & I are NOT runner's-well Abby is a little bit, but the only reason I could imagine for running is if I was being chased! So why on Earth would I run a marathon? Because it is a major accomplishment. Just think of being able to utter the words, "I ran a marathon." That is impressive!

Okay, so we sit on that thought for a few weeks & look over marathon schedules & training programs, etc. During this idle time, our brother, Casey Freeman, scoffed at us saying, "Yeah, like you two are ever gonna be able to run a marathon." Well, Casey was recently deployed with the 32nd Red Arrow Brigade and Abby and I sit here feeling helpless. Our brother is away from his family for a year and there is nothing much we can do to help out. (By the way, there were also 3,199 other soldiers deployed with Casey who are also missing their families.)

So here's where the two ideas collide: Abby & I decide we will train for & complete a marathon in Casey's honor. How cool is that?! Well, if you ask either of us, we think it's pretty cool. If you ask others who know us, they think it's pretty idiotic-so don't ask them! Well, then we thought, "Hey, why not make our marathon endeavor into a fundraiser for the 32nd Brigade?" We have heard of people running for breast cancer, diabetes, etc. Why not run for the Red Arrows? So with a few phone calls we found out that we can indeed do that!

So we came up with a name for our mission and created this blog. In subsequent posts you will find information on the deployment of this group and then info. on how you can donate, what that money would be used for, etc. If you are strapped for cash in these tough times & you just can't spare a buck - please just send up a prayer for these soldiers and their families-it won't cost you a thing.

We also plan to keep you posted on our training progress, our fundraising efforts and we'd also like to feature information on deployed Red Arrow soldiers and their families as well. Thanks for stopping by!