StandUp4SEALS Thanks Community After Raising Almost $50,000

The 2014 StandUp4SEALs event has successfully come to a close! There is one last thing we want to do before we start planning next year's event, and that is Thank the entire community of Ocean City for supporting this great cause! LCDR Ben Charles, our MC, did not only host the event, but was a huge help all weekend setting up and cleaning up after the event. Thank you Ben, we are all proud and honored to call you a friend. It is important to know that such a successful event does not happen without the support of Ocean City, starting at the top with Mayor Jay Gillian and his wife Michele, as well as Kathy Caraballo. The entire public works crew worked with us each morning, starting at 4:30 am, moving sand to make the most challenging 2.75 mile race course most of our 311 adult racers have participated in. Chief Chris Breunig and his team never disappoint with one of our favorite obstacles, the OCFD plunge pit. Mobilization and logistics of this event is extremely challenging, requiring a vast amount of support. Under the leadership of Chief Chad Callahan and Captain Jay Prettyman, the police department is always there to help and assist before, during, and after this event; we cannot execute StandUP4SEALs without them. Bill and Becky Jenkins from OC paddle along Tom Mullineaux and the OCBP is a key ingredient to any successful water based event, thank you for all of your hard work and setting up the paddle board course. Race day communication and parking is a necessity for StandUp4SEALs, Frank Donato and his team responded beyond belief providing solutions for both. The biggest change to this year's event was the location — the Ocean City Music Pier. Tim Beakley and the crew at that run the Music Pier were a pleasure to work with, they truly exceeded our expectations. It takes a team of hardworking individuals volunteering their time and skills to design, build and construct the course.  For the second year in a row, Dean Adams has volunteered and donated time, labor, and material.  This huge commitment is appreciated beyond words. Avery and Jackie Teitler have committed countless hours on this project for the last several months, all the way up to pacing this year's race, thank you. The Minehan, Wilson, and Frank crew always provide key support the weekend of the event — from registration to beach set up and everywhere in between. Lance Miller, who runs events for a living was an enormous help all weekend as well. Did you participate in the SEALS Cold Water Challenge? This was the brainchild of one our devoted volunteers and dear friend, Ron Gifford, raising almost $2,000. If you were challenged and did not pay up, there is still time! If you would still like to make a contribution to Support the Navy Seal Foundation and Travis Manion Foundation, please visit our website www.standup4seals.com and click the ‘Donate Now’ tab. At 4:00 AM on Saturday as we awoke to set up for the race, we received an e-mail thread forwarded from Mike's mother. It was from a friend of hers whose son Miles Huey, a Marine who was in the same Naval Academy class as Travis Manion and Brendan Looney (SEAL). (Brothers Forever) Miles was moved by the efforts StandUp4SEALs makes to benefit our Military and honor the sacrifices made by our peers in uniform serving this country. He was thrilled the funds raised go to his two favorite veteran organizations. Often we are asked why we do this event and the answer to that question is simple — to give back and pay respect to all who have served our country and continue to guarantee our freedom.  For the 2.6 million troops of our generation that have deployed, to ensure we all can enjoy a great community such as Ocean City, That is why we do this.  We look forward to another great event next year – Contact us and get involved for 2015! Thank you again, The StandUp4SEALs team: Patrick, Chad, Kristen, Amie, and Mike