Saturday, December 31, 2011

Roller Coasters - or - Why we're going to the Disney Marathon

Alex and I are heading to Florida on January 5th to Run Disney - well at least he's running, I'll be playing my usual role of support person/photographer. Some of you have heard me say that running the Disney Marathon is just an excuse to go ride roller coasters and, while we are both very much looking forward to the Disney Marathon, there's a lot of truth in my statement.

I like to read about rollercoasters,
I read about them everyday,
There are loops and turns everywhere,
and you can laugh and scream "Hurray!"

You can find them in an amusement park,
You can ride them in the light or dark,

As you ride them up and down,
You can find them in cities or find them in town.

By: Alex Bain
(1999)

Alex has loved Roller Coasters since he was a very little boy. His intense interest lasted many years and my wish to take him to ride the big roller coasters is a very old and unfulfilled wish now. Here's a page from my old autism website discussing Alex's roller coaster obsession.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050403230600/http://www.isn.net/~jypsy/alink.htm

He had a set of Roller Coaster VHS tapes he loved dearly that lived in our VCR for quite some time. (AMERICA'S GREATEST ROLLER COASTER THRILLS #1 & #2, WORLD'S GREATEST ROLLER COASTER THRILLS ) The 2 that survived are tucked away somewhere as are the cars from his Little Tykes Roller Coaster.

He also had a book, still on his shelf, Roller Coasters. Later he got into Roller Coaster Tycoon on his laptop.

In grade 5 and 6 when "Miss Ross" was his TA, she encouraged his drawing and he drew countless Roller Coasters, often combining other loves by making a park to go with them or making them an Olympic event. He even drew a Roller Coaster based Monopoly board.

His Roller Coaster T-Shirt collection is thanks to "Alex in Massachusetts" who vacations on PEI every summer and shares not only Alex's name but his roller coaster passion. Here he is in Elmira at Alex's Tip-to-Tip run wrap-up party where "Alex in Massachusetts" had just presented him with the latest t-shirt.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/runman/1436756895/in/set-72157602144765724/

Some of these shirts, now outgrown, are part of Alex's blanket, some are put away waiting to be made into a blanket and many are still worn often (though they are wildly outnumbered by running shirts now!)

Alex has been on the Cyclone at Sandspit and a coaster in a mall in Quebec on his Grade 9 school trip but that's it.

My long held wish is about to come true as we spend our time after the Marathon in Disney's and Universal's Parks checking out the Roller Coasters and other thrill rides. (Unfortunately I'll have to ride along if I want to truly experience Alex experiencing the ride.....!!)

Good luck to all the Islanders running Disney!
hope we see you there!

There will be lots of photos of our adventure.... if I survive the Roller Coaster parts...

Assume the position...

arms up, mouth open and round...

Courtside Sneakers Raider Run for Shayna Conway

Registration begins at 9 am. Run/walk starts at 10 am. Saturday Dec. 31, 2011
Charlottetown Rural will be hosting a 5km run and 3 km walk in support of Shayna Conway. Race fee is by donation with all proceeds from this event going to assist Shayna, a Rural graduate, and her family, during her time of recovery. Shayna was the lone survivor of the recent Alberta shooting.
Live music with Mark Parsons and the Rural Jazz Band. Please invite your Facebook friends that you think may be interested in participating.
For more information, visit: http://peiroadrunners.pbworks.com/w/page/34855161/2011%20Run%20For%20Shayna
Check-out the run sponsor at http://courtsidesneakers.com/
5 km run map http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/61870224/
3 km walk map http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/61849290

"Over $3000 raised to support Shanya,
thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered and/or encouraged others to take part. Special thank you to Mark Parsons and the Rural Jazz Band and 4 Raider grads who joined them.
Happy New Year" ~ Les MacKay

It was cloudy and -2 degrees. The Courtside Sneakers Raider Run for Shayna Conway at Charlottetown Rural High School.

The loop course on Raider Rd, North River Rd, Skyview Drive, Queen Street, Belvedere Ave and University Ave.

Billy MacDonald won the race and Bethany Doyle for the top female. I finished in 18:29 and came in 7th out of 134 runners. It was a last run of 2011.

Official Result: 7th out of 134
5K in 18minutes, 29 seconds

More Photos

*~ Wishing Shayna all our very best wishes as she recovers ~*

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2011-12-29/article-2850326/Charlottetown-Rural-hosts-fundraiser-for-former-student-Shayna-Conway/1

Charlottetown Rural hosts fundraiser for former student Shayna Conway

Shayna Conway

Published on December 29, 2011

Jim Day

A fundraising skate for Shayna Conway is set for Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. at the CARI complex.

A 5K run and 3K walk begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Charlottetown Rural.

Islanders can walk, run or skate this week to raise money for Shayna Conway.

The CARI complex at UPEI is holding a fundraising skate for Conway and her family as well as for the families of the other victims of the shooting earlier this month in Alberta.

Conway, 21, is the sole survivor of the Dec. 15 massacre on Hwy. 2 north of Claresholm, Alta., in which Tanner Craswell, 22, of Charlottetown, Mitch Maclean, 20, of South Winsloe, Tabitha Stepple and gunman Derek Jensen were killed in a triple murder-suicide.

Conway is making significant progress in her recovery in a Calgary hospital.

Family friend Rob Dale said Wednesday she was continuing to work on moving her leg and even took a couple steps without assistance during her physiotherapy session in the gym.

A skate is set for Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. at the CARI complex. The public skate is free but donations will be accepted with proceeds to the families of the victims.

A 5K run and a 3K walk are also going Saturday to raise money to assist Conway and her family with costs arising from the tragedy.

The event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Charlottetown Rural High School. Registration is at 9 a.m. The fee is by donation.

Charlottetown Rural is hosting the fundraiser for Conway, who is a graduate of the school.

Charlottetown Rural teacher Les MacKay never taught Conway, but he says teachers who did describe her as "a real quality person.''

More than 130 people have voiced their intention through Facebook in taking part. MacKay is hopeful the event draws 200 or more.

"We thought we should do something as a school,'' he said.

"We're just trying to do our little part to let her know that a lot of people care.''

The school has already taken a collection and a second one is likely, added MacKay.

Please visit:

http://shaynaconway.blogspot.com/

Shayna Conway Fundraiser

Hello there,

If you're visiting this site, you have been directed here by myself, family, or friends of Shayna Conway. As many of us know, Shayna Conway has been through a horrific tragedy recently (story here). There will be many medical costs involved in helping Shayna recover from her injuries, and we all want her to get the best care possible. Here are some of the ways you are able to help with donations:

Juice Zone in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. All donations, as well as the girls tips are currently being collected and sent to Shayna and her family. Click here for hours of operation and address.

For those of you that have access to a TD Bank, donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust using Account # 6480005 Branch # 80679. If you're making out a cheque, please make it to S Conway and not Shayna's full name (since she wasn't able to sign paperwork). Click here to search for the closest branch to you.

PayPal - online donations using a credit card: My name is Joshua Simon, a friend of Shaynas, and I've set up a paypal account that will accept donations online. Paypal is safe, trusted, and easy. If you click the donate button below, you will be able to donate with any major credit card.

Email Transfers to Shayna Conway's trust fund can be sent to shaynaconwaytrust@live.ca

Nessya's Gems and Jewels in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island are accepting donations. Click here for the address.

Thanks!

-Joshua Simon

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/01/01/pei-conway-fundraiser.html

Charlottetown raises money for Alberta shooting survivor

Fundraising run for Shayna Conway and family

Posted: Jan 1, 2012 12:30 PM AT

Shayna Conway continues to recover in hospital after being shot three times in a highway murder-suicide. (CBC)More than 200 people came out to participate in a fundraising run Saturday in Charlottetown for the sole survivor of last month's murder-suicide that took place along a highway south of Calgary.

A five-kilometre run and three-kilometre walk were organized by staff and students at Charlottetown Rural High School, where Shayna Conway