So glad you clicked the link to learn more about why Chris and I would run, OUTSIDE, in the COLD, on a perfectly good Sunday.

Here's the deal: On December 4, Team Burnt Reynolds (Christopher Morin and Shannon Mardis) will be running to raise money for Safe Passage in something called the "Hot Chocolate Run." Sounds sexy, we know. Safe Passage is an organization in Northampton, MA that provides comprehensive free services to women and children who have been affected by domestic violence. 

Personal and heartwarming side-note from Shannon: Without the emergency shelter, food, and the financial and emotional support provided to me as a little kid from organizations just like this, I would not be the woman I am today. I strongly support Safe Passage and hope you will help me raise more money for them than I can on my own. Seriously, if you have a heart, consider joining the 5K run. Or if you have a wonky heart, consider joining the 2 mile walk. (If you don't have a heart, consider it a chance to feel superior to other people! It's like being vegan, but you don't have to give up bacon!)

Please make a donation, however tiny it may seem to you. Safe Passage provides emergency shelter, individual counseling and support groups, legal services, a 24-hour hotline and more for women and children in need. Here are some examples of what these services cost:

$20: Emergency funds for a woman to purchase groceries or diapers
$45: A one-hour counseling session for a woman seeking help for the first time
$80: One weekly drop-in group session for survivors of domestic violence
$100: An hour of ASL interpreting for a deaf survivor's counseling session
$135: Three sessions for children who have witnessed domestic violence
$500: A month of on-call advocacy for victims of domestic violence police calls

And check it out: ALL contributions are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive an emailed receipt immediately after you donate.

I want to thank you so much for your support!  If you want to register for the event or learn more about it, visit http://hotchocolaterun.com. And if you are on the sidelines, look for the geeks wearing inappropriately large mustaches and cowboy hats... Go Burnt Reynolds!