CJ's Resolution Challenge

01/05/2024

Recent Facebook memories have been FULL of a decade of CJs. I am loving remembering what made each year special as I scroll through the photos.

If you're reading this its quite likely you are a part of what made it so special. It is bittersweet knowing I won't be seeing you tomorrow, but I wanted to share two things.

First, Mid Penn Trailblazers will be hosting a fun run January 13th, 9am at RB Winter. I hope to go and would love to see some of y'all there.

Secondly, the time not spent organizing CJs has been put to good use. I completed SEAT 1.0 and am currently enrolled in SEAT 2.0. Both are special education advocacy training so I can serve families of children with disabilities even better. And I've launched my own business, which is scary to announce but how else will people know how much I want to help unless I tell them? Please check me out and share if you feel pulled to do so.❤️

www.wespeakadvocacy.com

So much love to you all.
~Janell

We Speak Advocacy seeks to empower parents by sharing the tools and information needed to be an equal member of the IEP team. Together with the school team, we will develop an appropriate IEP for your child. Counties primarily served include Union, Northumberland, Snyder, Montour, Columbia, and Lyco...

01/18/2023

CJ's 2023 Wrap-Up (also sent as an email!)
It's been two weeks since our time together so I wanted to recap this year's event for you before any more time passes.

Lost & Found - I still have one pair of Achiou gloves and one Mizuno windbreaker jacket at my house. Are they yours?

Virtual - If you were one of 2023 Virtual Participants, you should have received your race swag by Friday, January 14th. I still have tracking info, so if you are missing yours, please let me know!

Winners - I think we witnessed the most exciting end to Last Man Standing EVER this year! First ever winner from 2014, John Johnson, attempted to reclaim his title but challenger Eric Smith took him in the final lap. It was a fantastic finish for both competitors! Gabriel Batdorf rounded out our top three. These three fellows beat the clock on the 11th lap, which is a total of 16.5 miles, with each lap getting faster and faster. Eric ran his last loop at a 5:59/pace!! Female Last Man Standing winners were 1st-Alyssa Hoffman, 2nd- Meira Minard, and 3rd- Carole Dudukovich. Carole made eight laps (12 miles) while Alyssa and Meira both beat the clock on nine laps (13.5 miles).

RC Revolutions top three females were 1st- Kayla Thompson, 2nd- Tori Posatko, and 3rd- Kara Moyer. Kayla ran 21 miles in 3:03:33! Top three men were 1st- Eric Kosek, 2nd- Dillon Durinick, and 3rd- Dustin Manotti. Eric ran 24 miles in 3:10:17!

You can find a complete listing of results here: https://falconracetiming.com/event/cjs-resolution-challenge-mifflinburg-pa-5/

Miles - I always think it's fun to add up all the miles. So here you go! The 24 Last Man Standing athletes ran a collective 300 miles. The 13 kiddos in the Kids’ Revolutions ran a collective 103.5 miles. And the 210 athletes ages 13 and up in RC Revolutions ran a collective 2,475 miles. Added all up, you all covered 2,878.5 miles on January 7th! That’s the distance from RB Winter to Eugene, OR. Almost to the Pacific Ocean!

Pictures – The fabulous Charlie Guttendorf volunteered his time and talents to give us all some action shots. Find them on our page!

Proceeds - This event raised nearly $5,500 this year. So in addition to funding adapted CrossFit sessions AND the youth triathlon, we'll ALSO be making a donation to ReVibe's Wild Runners program AND to RB Winter State Park. RB Winter has been our home for the past ten years and also hosts other well-loved trail races. Not to mention, it's just a great place to begin rides, runs, and hikes. ReVibe's Wild Runners is a free trail running club for kids age 5-17 that's all about encouraging youth to get outside! Would you like to learn more or contribute to Wild Runners? https://www.revibewildrunners.org/

Over the past ten years, CJ's Resolution Challenge and other Team CJ for Autism events and projects have raised just over $100,000. Having just done that math, I must admit I'm sitting here a bit stunned. It's amazing and wonderful. This money has benefited numerous regional programs and organizations that support autistic individuals and their families. It was raised here and it has stayed here. And it is my most sincere hope that the benefit will be felt for a long time.

Final (?) Thank You - Over the ten years of bringing you this race in honor of my son, I can say this for certain, I have received far more than I sacrificed. The time, care, and devotion I poured out have paid me back huge dividends of joy, connection, and gratitude. I will keep these things with me always.

I don't know what the future holds.... who among us does? But I am hopeful that in time I will find myself at a point to bring this event back to you. Until then, I hope you pursue what matters most and enjoy this beautiful life.

See you on the trails.
~ Janell, Race Director & CJ's Mom

01/12/2023

This round came from the wonderful Charlie Guttendorf! Thanks so much for volunteering your time and talent, Charlie!!!

01/12/2023

01/09/2023

From yesterday! CJ's Merit Award
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In 2016, we created CJ’s Merit Award to recognize those devoted to supporting autistic people and their families. We’ve honored teacher Jessy Schwenk, therapist Erin Demcher, Geisinger ADMI, camp directors Jerry Stropnicky & Kathleen Baas, ally Josh Demcher, the Danville Area Community Center, and advocate Becky Perruquet. These amazing individuals and programs continue their important work to this day, changing the world bit by bit.
🌎
The individual I’d like to honor today has been changing the world, bit by bit, for the last 13 and a half years. This individual has inspired all that you see here. They have been the reason for the tens of thousands of dollars donated. He’s created connections between people and groups and built a real community. He has done more work to shatter preconceived notions and stereotypes than a person his age should have to be faced with. And he’s done it all while making me laugh every day, and filling my heart to bursting with pride.
He’s changed me.❤
And he is changing the world.
Please join me in celebrating CJ himself, and this year’s CJ Merit Award recipient, Cullen Weaver.🌎

01/08/2023

Thank you❤️