Emmett Frett never considered himself a runner, but the 16-year-old decided to enter the Eau Clair (WI) Marathon this spring to test his mettle. “It sounded fun, and I wanted to challenge myself with something new,” he says. His initial goal was simply to finish the race, but once he started training he set an even greater aspiration: to raise money for families battling homelessness.
Frett and his family volunteer at Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley, and the marathon seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to do something more.
“I wondered if I could put my race to a good cause,” Frett explains. “When I looked on the Family Promise website I saw it was really easy to set up a fundraiser.”
With Family Promise’s online fundraising program simple step-by-step instructions guide users in creating their own fundraising pages. Races, sporting events, birthday dedications – there are countless creative and fun ways to fundraise for children and families battling homelessness, and the website also offers some unique ideas.
Frett used the website’s pre-formatted email template to publicize his event. His goal was to raise $750, but he surpassed it, raising more than $1,000. And he completed his first marathon!
Frett says his involvement with Family Promise has changed his view of homelessness, and he hopes his fundraiser increased awareness of the crisis within his community.
“These families are regular people,” he says. “They just need a little help.”
Watch Emmet cross the finish line.
To start your own fundraiser to help families in need, click the button below.
