Friends,

Today I offer a different kind of "stimulant for those who lead."  I want to invite you to join me in one or both of two ways to make a difference for yourself and in Detroit.  In two weeks, on Sunday the 26th of October, I will join 10,000 runners and twice as many observers and revelers at the Free Press International Marathon.  It is not too late for you to enter the marathon or the 5K (a 5K is 3.1 miles).  Either might be a Big Hairy Audacious Goal for you, a way to follow the wisdom of Kouzes & Posner who say: "search for challenging opportunities to change, grow and improve."  There are a thousand ways that (training and) a good run can help you grow.  surge and be part of the great re-surgence of life in Detroit.  Just click on http://www.detroitfreepressmarathon.com/ to register.

The benefits of exercise do not stop with physical health, but in myriad ways strengthen our mental and emotional health.  I am running both for those personal benefits, and to call attention to our collective need to get healthier.  And I am running to spread those benefits by supporting a tremendous non-profit called Think Detroit.  So the second part of my invitation is to ask you to support Think Detroit through sponsoring my miles.  Think Detroit drives everything it does around its mission of "building character in young people through sports and leadership development."  Two (University of Detroit Jesuit) high school classmates put their University of Michigan law degrees on the shelf and opened TD in 1997.  They started a baseball league for 120 kids and have not looked back.  Seven years later:

• they serve over 5,000 kids through the biggest baseball, softball, soccer and basketball programs in the city
• they have trained 1,000 kids on computers and given computers to over half those kids
• they have raised the funds to uplift the riverfront with 5 new ball diamonds and 11 soccer fields
• they have developed a powerful leadership development camp program they launched for kids this summer
  

Their Big Hairy Audacious Goal of 5,000 kids seemed crazy five years ago.  Now, their two founders say, "OK, we're at 5,000.  When we get to 50,000, we'll have 20% of the city, and when we are building character in 20% of the kids, we will change this city!"  You can help.  Click on www.thinkdetroit.org to make a pledge on-line or call (313) 833-1600.
My goal is to raise $52,000 for them -- enough to add 260 kids -- ten kids for every mile I run.  For every $200 raised, Think Detroit can add a child to one of its leagues.  Every person who donates $100 or more will receive a free T-shirt with Think Detroit's new logo.  And every person who gives will be making a difference for children!

I set a "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" for myself to finish the marathon in four hours.  I'd be a whole lot happier if I can help Think Detroit get closer to their finish line!

Dan

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Daniel Granholm Mulhern
First Gentleman
Office of the Governor
State of Michigan
(517) 241-0534

"Seeing the magnificence in all people -- dedicated to their fullest success."

Copyright 2004 Daniel Mulhern.  I distribute RFL without charge to people with an interest in leadership, and grant permission to these recipients to distribute copies of these works to personal contacts for non-commercial purposes only.  All other rights are reserved, and requests for copying and distribution of these works may be made to TheFirstGentleman@Michigan.gov.  The views of this and other RFLs reflect my personal beliefs and may or may not reflect the views of my wife, Jennifer Granholm, or any other officials of the State government.