Help Me Help PEPY RIDE

If I asked people who know me well in a personal context to describe me in three words, I think most would come up with a combination containing at least one of these:

Oshaberi
Genki
Passionate

So the first two are obviously in Japanese, meaning talkative and energetic (or spirited/passionate/driven), respectively. I also consider Passion, the third word, especially true and a driving force in my life.

When thinking about this word, passion, there are three aspects (and big influences in my personal life) that immediately come to mind: learning, travel and helping others. Education is my biggest media for helping others at the moment, I hope law will be the tool I use in my life’s work to integrate these interests, but volunteer work has definitely had a big impact on me, especially as chair of the Hyogo AJET Charity Committee this year. For me, these things go hand-in-hand.

This March I will be combining these passions as I take part in a volunteer trip to Cambodia. I've wanted to go to Cambodia ever since I supported my friend Jessica on her volunteer trip three years ago. I followed Jessica's experiences with PEPY Ride both before, during and after her trip to Cambodia, which opened my eyes to not only the tragic conditions that many Cambodians live in, but also what we can do to help. Prior to coming to Japan, my former CEO and constant role model, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, also reflected on her experiences with Cambodia in her opening speech at a company-wide conference I once attended. Her humanitarian work in the region, specifically in the battle against child trafficking, also inspired me to do more to help. I'm really grateful to be able to do something meaningful to help Cambodians on my trip and am really looking forward to meeting all the children and seeing Ankor Wat.

In addition to volunteering at schools in rural Cambodia with PEPY Ride, I'm also raising donations for them. We’ve been raising money to give directly to the school, and so far, I have raised over $300 of my $500 goal! I am reaching out to you to help me help Pepy Ride. Give as much or little as you can and remember that donations are tax deductible.

On March 2nd, I will also be running the Sasayama ABC Marathon to raise awareness and support PEPY Ride. Yup, 42k through the mountains of Japan for a good cause!! I am making TEAM PEPY RIDE t-shirts for my running parter and I, and for each person that donates, I will add you to the “team Pepy roster” on my t-shirt. JOIN THE TEAM TODAY!

To make a donation, simply click here to place your donation or feel free to give me money in person. If you donate online, please put my name in the Personal Message field. Again, 100% of your donation goes to the children (not to my trip) and a little can really go a long way in Cambodia. I will be submitting all donations I receive one week prior to my departure and adding names to the "Team Pepy Ride" t-shirt roster up until the race.

For more information on the Pepy Ride program, visit http://www.pepyride.org/.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!! :-)

(To place a donation and HELP ME SUPPORT PEPY RIDE, please visit www.firstgiving.org/brendamckinney)

(You can also visit PEPY Ride's page at http://www.firstgiving.com/pepyride - remember to use my name in the Personal Messages area)