Be The Boat - 2020 Event

2020 Challenge:

This will be the third year I am participating in an ultra-marathon to raise money for the Be The Boat Fund.  In 2018, it was a 50-miler in the high Rockies of Colorado; in 2019, it was an attempt to run 206 miles through the Cascades in Washington unfortunately only making it 91 miles. 

I can’t let Washington State win so this year I will be running in another 200+ miler: The Orcas Island 200.  This race consists of 206.2 miles of stunning views of the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington.  While the race start sits only feet above sea-level, the course still offers over 60,000 feet of total gain across the run, which should match the intensity of last year’s race. 

Events like this provide a tremendous opportunity for our family to honor Hunter’s memory, each in our own way.  I cannot overstate the appreciation I have for the constant support received over the past couple of years, both moral and financial, when it comes to my running goals for Be The Boat.  I hope you’ll consider continuing your sponsorship this May for the Orcas Island 200.

Thank you for your support! 

- Lawlor

http://www.betheboat.org/ 

(Connor O'Hearn and I at the Grand Mesa 50-Miler in 2018)

History:

Started by my family in 2016, the Hunter Quigley Coe Be The Boat Fund was named in honor of my brother and echoes a reference shared at his funeral Mass.  While Hunter was not a religious person, the poem captures a lot about his life:

“And I saw the river over which every soul must pass
to reach the kingdom of heaven
and the name of that river was suffering;
and I saw a boat which carries souls across the river
and the name of that boat was love.”

Despite experiencing suffering himself, Hunter served as “the boat of love” to many and it is that instinct – to help without reservation – that we wished to honor.  Hunter loved children, was an incredibly empathetic soul, loved the water, teaching swim lessons and appreciated the educational opportunities provided to him.  It seemed only fitting to celebrate Hunter’s caring nature with the launch, on what would have been his 25th birthday, of the Be The Boat Fund.

Since 2016, the Fund has issued annual grants to support swim and sailing lessons for children who’ve been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.  In 2018, the Fund underwrote support for a social worker to provide mental/behavioral health services to children at/below the poverty line whose needs were identified during routine dental visits.  The opportunity to change the trajectory of a child’s life with a well-timed mental health intervention motivates our work.

 In 2019 and 2020, Be The Boat has underwritten three initiatives of which we’re immensely proud:

·         Hepzibah Home – $5,000 – attendance for six children at HephSIBah Camp, a week-long camp for siblings separated when removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect.  Along with all of the regular fun of summer camp – making s’mores, catching fireflies, learning new skills – this camp provides the opportunity for separated siblings to reconnect and fortify a relationship imperiled by separation.  Can you imagine seeing one of your sibs only once a year?  Neither can we!

·         Hephzibah Home – $25,000 – delivery of Art and Pet Therapies to Hephzibah Home residents.  Many of Hephzibah’s residents are new to therapeutic services and thus, balk at “talking therapy”.  Art and pet therapies allow less verbal children to connect with, process and begin to heal from their trauma.  Hunter was a great potter and woodsmith and we think he’d love the art therapy options; while he didn’t love our dogs, they sure comforted us in his absence, and we know the power a deep dog nuzzle.  Isn’t it grand to offer this unconditional love, if only for a moment?

·         Infant Welfare Society – $50,000 – a major portion of social worker salary and benefits.  As noted above, in 2018 we partnered with IWS to provide social work services to children identified in need of such services.  IWS annually conducts 10,700 medical and dental visits to underserved children, and in 2017 – 2018 piloted an innovative program whereby behavioral health surveys would be administered to dental patients as well customarily done during medical visits.  Social work needs skyrocketed and Be The Boat was thrilled to provide needed referrals.  Imagine identifying need but having no means to affect change?  We can’t imagine that either.         

Your support has enabled these engagements and we’re so appreciative!