What Have I Done!!
Hadrian's Wall
“Fancy a walk?”
It was a simple question, short and to the point. An e-mail from an acquaintance. Granted, the guy’s a lunatic but he’s got an oddly compelling personality — the kind of guy with which you can picture yourself spending an evening or sharing a cup of coffee.
Or a stroll.
“Sure,” I responded.
And that was that. Dan, you may know him from All That Comes With It, has organized a charity walk in support of the Joseph Salmon Trust and I am honored to have been asked to participate. Well, I was honored last June when he asked me. Now, I’m hearing a Talking Heads tune repeating on an endless loop, “My God, what have I done!!”
In just over two months from now, I’ll be walking the entire width of England, more specifically, the 84 miles of Hardrian’s Wall in support of the Joseph Salmon Trust. The wall — essentially in ruins today– was built in 122 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Well, I’m sure he didn’t build it. He ordered it built and so it was. At least he had the foresight to have his wall built across the narrowest span of the country. Thank God!
I’ll not be going it alone, though. There are close to 60 of us participating which begs the question, “How in the hell could Dan have so many of us by the short hairs?” Not to burst any bubbles here, but I don’t think it’s Dan. It’s much bigger — if you can fathom bigger than Dan.
It’s the cause.
I believe it’s because of Neil and Rachel Salmon, founders of The Joseph Salmon Trust. Neil and Rachel have been able to take what I can only imagine as the most horrific experience that any parent should ever face and turn it into something positive. Their son, Joseph, was just three years old when he passed away suddenly and totally unexpectedly in his sleep due to complications from a streptococcal pneumonia. Their lives, their very world, was literally changed overnight.
It is their resilience, their perseverance, their strength, that seeks to change the lives of those who may be similarly faced with such unimaginable tragedy.
The Joseph Salmon Trust aims to “support parents who have lost a child by providing financial assistance to those who need it most. This may be to help with funeral costs or to allow the self employed a break from work while they come to terms with their loss. Grieving families have enough to deal with without worries about where they will find the money to say goodbye to their child or pay the next electricity bill. Nothing we can do can make their situation better, but we can do something to stop it getting worse.”
So I’m walking, honored to be doing so in support of a very worthwhile cause. I’m also asking that you might consider supporting The Joseph Salmon Trust in my name. I have set up a personal fundraising page to assist with donations or you can go directly to the Hadrian’s Walk page and click the donate now button on the right hand side.
The trust is small with with very limited resources so a little bit goes a long way. Also, all of the trustees and individuals that run the organization do so on a strictly volunteer basis. 100% of your donation will go directly to those who need it most.
I’m thanking you in advance for your support, warning you that I won’t stop asking until my goal of $750 is met. In fact, I’ll sweeten the deal. If I should happen to meet/exceed my goal of raising $750 by let’s say, June 10 — I’ll shave my head.
So there you go.
750 bucks…? That’s like 15 pounds sterling isn’t it?
Martin´s last blog ..Coronary π
Ed Reply:
April 26th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
The freaking exchange rates! They’re gonna kill me.
Martin Reply:
April 26th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Trust me, exchange rates are a long way down the list of what I fear will kill me on this walk.
Martin´s last blog ..Coronary π
Ed Reply:
April 26th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Hadrian died of a heart attack on July 10. Same day we finish the walk — coincidence??
Martin Reply:
April 26th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
You ARE kidding me right? right?
Dan…. DAAAAAAAAAN!
Martin´s last blog ..Coronary π
I’m pretty bummed that I’m not able to make the trip. Let me know if Dan talks trash about me.
Whit´s last blog ..Happy Earth Day on Everybody’s Computer
Ed Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 8:34 am
You know he will.
That wall looks built on decidedly mountainous ground, I was under the impression it would be ‘Holland like’, flat.
Two months? Wow. I could do with actually going out for some walks.
Ian´s last blog ..Inanimate object loving
Martin Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 2:56 am
I was roped in under the impression that it was Holland-like flat.
It seems not to be the case. And Holland is not the best place to prepare for such a thing.
Martin´s last blog ..Coronary π
Ed Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 8:36 am
He also told us there would be food — and shelter. I bet he was lying about that, too.
Ed Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Yeah, Dan told me I could do the walk in Birkenstocks. I think he may have been lying.
You’re a good man Ed.
Your promise of shaving your head inspired me to sponsor you. Unfortunatly on your justgiving page I wrote it was the prospect of you shaving MY head.
I admit i’m an idiot who shouldn’t be let near a keyboard. However I promise I’m not some freaky head shaving fetish obsesive.
Dan´s last blog ..Full moons, loose belts, and geeky gadgets
Ed Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Even better! This is what we call in the business a win/win situation. I raise money and then I shave YOUR head. Perfect!
You’re not shaving your damn head…period.
Ed Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Not to worry, hon. Dan said I could shave HIS head.
Dan Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Oh Boy, ed’s for it now!
I’m very tempted to put even more cash in the pot just to get him in bother!
Dan´s last blog ..Full moons, loose belts, and geeky gadgets
God, you guys are already having the time of your lives. I should have robbed a bank and made it happen. I could picture the Keystone cops chasing me down the wall.
Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..Hammering Man
Ed Reply:
April 28th, 2010 at 7:56 am
I seriously think bank is the wrong target. A pharmacy!! That’s what I need to be robbing.
Bring a bike – join the Hadrians Wall bike assault – you know it makes sense
It also prevents you from at least three extra days of torture.
Gary´s last blog ..The Binman’s Son
Ed Reply:
April 28th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Oh, don’t think for a minute that that thought hasn’t crossed my mind.
What the heck, Ed! I don’t understand what that little symbol means on the donation page–What is the exchange rate? I want to give $15, not 150 bucks, so straighten me out, here, will ya?