Kathy's Challenge

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors,

 

My daughter Sarah is presently living in New Zealand coordinating womens’ duathlons with an organization called REAL. I will be joining her on May 3rd to participate in my first ever duathlon. A duathlon offers two events: a 10K bike course and 5K walk/run. This presents a wonderful opportunity to make a positive difference in my life, and I am vigilantly getting my running and biking “up to the challenge.”  (Photo of me and daughters Sarah and Liza at left)

 

I also want this event to benefit others, especially young women, and in the process I hope to honor Sarah’s grandfather (my Dad), Doug McClure, who recently passed away. To do this, I hope to raise $16,500 for Coastal Studies for Girls – a semester school here in Freeport – to be available to those girls who need financial assistance. I’m excited about this challenge and hope that you will share my excitement and support me along the way.

 

Coastal Studies for Girls -- the country’s first residential science and leadership semester school for high school girls – is being built at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport, Maine, where I now live. CSG is dedicated to educating young women who have a love for learning and discovery, an adventurous spirit, and a desire to challenge themselves. CSG promotes girls’ aspirations in the sciences, filling the need for more women in science. Here in Maine only one in ten engineers is a woman, and unfortunately that ratio is common across the country.

 

The school will bring girls from all over the U.S. to the coast of Maine during either the fall or spring term of their sophmore year of high school, where they are immersed in a unique community and natural laboratory. They leave stronger, more empowered, and better prepared to make a difference in the world. However, there are many deserving and capable students who cannot afford such an opportunity. And that brings me to my father.

 

My Dad was introduced to CSG after his move to the coast of Maine and was very supportive of its mission. As the father of two daughters and a life-long educator, he believed in empowering young women through education. Raising $16,500 for CSG will be a fitting tribute to my Dad who always supported his daughters' and granddaughters’ endeavors, loved the Maine coast, and was actively engaged intellectually and financially in the pursuit of academic excellence. Click on his photo (at left) to learn more about his work as Head of Princeton Day School.

Now I ask you to be challenged! Please consider sponsoring me to help make a young girl's dream to attend CSG come true. Or, if you’re able, take on your own challenge and sponsor a student yourself. Your donation directly to CSG will be greatly appreciated and will cheer me on to cross the finish line!

 

Many thanks,

Kathy Lowell

 

To participate in Kathy's challenge Click here to make an online donation OR Send a check to Coastal Studies for Girls, P.O. Box 266, Freeport, Maine 04032 Be sure to designate your gift for Kathy's Challenge. Thanks!

Read an article in The Forecaster about Kathy's Challenge.

NOTE: KATHY COMPLETED HER DUATHLON ON MAY 3, 2009! She followed this with a Mother's Day bungee jump off the Auckland Bridge. We're not sure how she could top that, except to meet her goal of $16,500 to send a girl to Coastal Studies for Girls. Check out a photo of Kathy on the REAL home page.   To date, Kathy's Challenge has raised $7,975! We offer our gratitude to the following donors: Ashley Austin Anne Azema Janet Baker Iris and Sandy Bing Dorothy Bossidy Mark Bowen Melissa Brooks Miranda Brooks Betsy Clark Genevieve Clark Nikki Day Beth De Tine and Paul Gray Chris and Kathi Duble Jim and Dancy Duffus Robert and Julianne Dugas Harriette Ebinger Pam Erickson Omar J. Facuse Betsy Jackson Fear Bruce and Susan Fenn Mary Ferrand Scott Finlay Ellen Fisher Heidi Fitz Amy Ford Polly Frawley John and Deborah Gastler Kristen Gastler John G. Haller and Jane Godshalk Haller Pamela Hanson Lizette Hardie Harold T.N. Smith Memorial Foundation Lynn and Bill Heinz Leslie Hyde Anne O. Jackson Peter Kallin Deborah P. Kelton Robert and Janet Kmetz The Knight Family Jon and Cindy Knowles    Lucy and Bill LaCasse Annick Lapotre Dr. and Mrs. Peter LeBourdais Jeanne Little Fox Liza Lowell Howard Lowell Margaret Martin and Don Jenkins Sarah Massey Edward and Marie Matthews Bruce Mays and Cynthia Maltbie Kim and Molly Mason Hugh and Marjorie McCabe Doug and Jill McClure Lucie Peck Moffett Muskat Family Roy Nelles and Anita Flores Anne and Benjamin Niles Rob Norman Jamieson Odell and Laura Levin-Epstein Kerry and Diane Oliver John Paine Dean and John Paterson David and Sybil Richardson Scrub Judy Segal Nina Shafran James and Martha Smealie Meredith Smith Phyllis Stevenson Alexander Stuart Jim and Dianne Stuart Martha Sullivan Sword Charlie and Linda Swanson Ward Tomlinson and Katie Poole Maureen Vines Charles Walker Sandra Wallen Lisa Warren Liz Weglicki Ann Willauer Ann M. Wiley Joan and Bill Witkin