David McCahill's Boston Marathon Fundraiser

Marathon day was blessed with perfect weather and David finished in three hours, three minutes and forty four seconds. (We hope to get a personal report from the runner himself.)

If you have outstanding pledges, David asks that you pay them off.
(Read below about David's two favorite charities.)

November 19, 2005

Greetings,

McCahill at 2005 Nor-Ams

I just wanted to send you an update of my adventures at Harvard. This first semester is keeping me quite busy. My four classes have kept me behind the desk for many hours, yet it's great to to be studying hard again after my ski-intensive year in Colorado! Between learning German, analyzing supply and demand curves with N. Gregory Mankiw, wandering in downtown Boston with my roommate Andrew, and training with Peter Graves and the Nordic Ski Team, I've also joined the Harvard College Marathon Challenge and will be running the 110th Boston Marathon on April 17, 2006.

Harvard and several other local schools are awarded several slots for students willing to raise money for local charities, in exchange for entry in the coveted 26.2 mile footrace from Hopkinton to Boston. This year, I'll be running in support of two local, student-run charities: Project HEALTH and The Phillips Brooks House Association.

Project HEALTH works to ensure that every child grows up free from the obstacles imposed by poor health. It addresses challenges faced by low-income families through innovative, hospital-based advocacy programs and through community-based after-school programs. By uniting the creative energy of undergraduates, the expert knowledge of health and legal professionals, and the firsthand experiences of families, Project HEALTH works to interrupt the well-established link between poverty and poor health. Project HEALTH currently has sites in Boston, Providence, New York, and Washington D.C. and the organization has had substantial impact on over 3,000 families in these areas.

The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) is a student-run volunteer group that acts as the organizing body for seventy-six programs working all over Boston and the surrounding area. Among these programs are twelve summer enrichment opportunities for underprivileged kids, advocacy groups, after-school activities, and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, to name a few.

By March 19th, I hope to raise $500 to benefit both of these local organizations. I ask you to consider a donation in any amount to help me in my run for charity. This April, I hope to run a sub- 3 hour marathon, an ambitious improvement over my previous 3:16 pace in my first ever Lake Placid Marathon. However, with your generous support and a rigorous winter filled with Collegiate Nordic Ski cross-training, I hope to accomplish all of my goals. Donating is simple, as the HCMC has given me my own, totally secure, fundraising website   http://www.justgiving.com/pfp/davidmccahill   [ Go there now ]

David McCahill in 2002

Here, I'll include photos, updates on training, and my fundraising progress! Credit card donation is easiest, however checks may be made out to “Harvard College Marathon Challenge”, with “David McCahill” on the memo line, and mailed to my address below.

Many thanks for your support, and I hope the Holiday Season finds you well!