Good Deed #4: Running for Roz

Good deeds are done nearly every day. Every hour thousands of Americans are sharing their good will to support the victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. Teachers, nurses, soldiers and social workers equally do their part to go out each day to do a mission that they are committed towards. These good deeds are rarely noticed on a daily basis nor are they recognized the way that they should be.

It would be very naive for me to think that I could keep pace with doing a new good deed every week without sacrifice, planning or thought. Although good deeds often happen seemlessly and without preparation, great deeds require forward thinking and an offering of something much greater than the day to day sacrifices. In fact the best deeds often come with a heavy price and a simple promise.

It may seem odd that I give myself credit for this deed that will not have an impact on anybody this week or the next. However, it is the promise that in 233 days I will have made a difference.

On September 18th, 2010 I promise to cross that finish line in Dayton, Ohio after 26.2 miles to honor the memory of my friend and comrade 1st Lt Roslyn Schulte. My goal is to raise $1,000 for a Memorial fund at the United States Air Force Academy in her honor. I will be supporting a group called "Running for Roz" which is composed of friends of Roz's who too are participating in races across the country in order to carry on her legacy.

My preparation began yesterday, my sacrifice will be tomorrow, my promise starts now.

On May 20th, 2009 Roz was killed by a roadside bomb near Kabul Afghanistan. She had been stationed in Kabul for about three months, with the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. As an Intelligence officer, her job was to help teach Afghan forces how to handle military intelligence. While off duty, Lt Schulte spent three hours nearly every day organizing a charity for Afghan refugees. Today at Camp Pawan, (a U.S. training facility in Afghanistan) a building has been named the Schulte School and Clinic in her honor.

For Roz, she too made a commitment and that was to her Country and the mission in Afghanistan. Her devotion to duty and compassion for the Afghan people was her promise. Her life is what she sacrificed.

I don't think any of my good deeds across the my lifespan will equal to her sacrifice. She is what inspires me to be a better person. I am running for Roz and by that I am running for everything that she represented. I will cross that finish line, this much I promise.

If you would like to make a donation please email me at joshua.carroll83@gmail.com. I intend to run the marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes. If I do not succeed I will personally donate the money that you had pledged to contribute and in return give you back your money. For more information check out http://www.runningforroz.com/index.html