I have two people to thank for my involvement in the St. Jude Run from Quincy to Peoria--my student Spencer Waters and my friend Brenda Graff.

Although I was not at all involved in the 2006 Run to Peoria, Brenda asked me to help her "babysit" the RVs as they sat along Broadway Street in Quincy the night before the run began. My two children and I arrived early in the evening as the running team was breaking up after decorating the RVs. I had all of about 30 minutes' contact with this inspiring group, and looking in from the outside I realized, "I have to get involved in this thing."

So, early last winter, I told Brenda, "I'm going to run." Am I a runner? Heck, no! But can I run? Don't bet against me! Now, it is about 3 months until the event, and I am so excited that I can hardly wait. I'm up to a mile at a time (walking fast) on my NordicTrack. Brenda and I have cajoled several good friends at our school to join us on the run, and we fully expect that it will be a blast--having a great time while doing a great thing for a great cause.

When I think about what the world would have lost had we lost Spencer to cancer, it drives home in my heart the incalulable importance of the work St. Jude Children's Hospital does. This one's for you, Spencer!
    

Nikki Mountain