Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation Still Exists!

The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation, Inc. is a youth fitness Foundation that I launched many years ago. The Foundation's mission has been to encourage, educate, inspire, and motivate children worldwide to adopt life-long habits toward a healthy lifestyle; to expand their knowledge of the world around them; and, to pursue their goals and dreams with the abilities they possess. I've literally run thousands of miles to try and be a living example of what P.A.C.E. is all about. P.A.C.E. stands for "Promoting Active Children Everywhere."

In November 2016 I announced that I'm retired from running across states and countries. As a result, there may be those who would think that The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation no longer exists. It DOES still exist! In fact, I just filed the corporation's annual report this week with the office of the Secretary of State. The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).

So, why would I keep the Foundation operating if I am no longer running across states and countries? Wasn't my ultra-endurance adventure runs the cornerstone of the Foundation? What are the Foundation's plans for the future? How will the Foundation "encourage, educate, inspire and motivate children worldwide" without me pushing "BOB" (my support stroller) across vast amounts of land, speaking in schools, and doing media interviews? Those are all excellent questions, and ones that I'm still thinking through the answers for.

For now, all I can say is that the Foundation is still in existence. Annual reports and tax filings are occurring, and the Foundation is in "good standing" with the Secretary of State. I have no intention of allowing the Foundation to cease.

Sure, there are days when I miss pushing the edge of the envelope on a solo ultra-endurance run... and running up to a school to do an assembly... and seeing the smiles on the kids' faces. It was always the kids that kept me pushing forward. I'll never forget a March 2010 news story in the U.S. military publication, Stars and Stripes, where a 10-year-old boy at Vilseck Elementary in Germany was quoted as saying that my PACE adventures "inspired me to have a goal and take it. It gave me the inspiration to run and do my best." I think that 10-year-old boy summed up the purpose of P.A.C.E. very well. It has always been about inspiration, goal setting, and doing your best.

What is the future of P.A.C.E.? Time will tell.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
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