The Human Race in Santa Cruz

The Human Race is nationwide community fundraising event for nonprofits and schools on May 7, 2011. And while corporate profits are higher than they've been before the global economic meltdown, many non-profits are on the brink of bankruptcy.

The Human Race is about the helping and healing journey for these nonprofits and what it takes to get there. One collaborative step at a time.

I didn't participate last year, but the year before Mama, Bea and me did. The entire B-hive will be with me this year (unless Bryce is napping, but hey, she's only 8 months old).

For those who know me and read my blog, you know my personal mission is to increase the awareness and prevention of intimate partner violence (domestic violence).

So this year my participation in the Santa Cruz Human Race is all about raising a little money and awareness for the Walnut Avenue Women's Center where I volunteer as a child advocate.

The Walnut Avenue Women's Center is a 501(c)3 public benefit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for women, children, and families in the local community for over 75 years. Through interactive, supportive programs, WAWC seeks to improve the economic, physical, and emotional well being of all families in Santa Cruz County.

If you'd like to sponsor me, I would greatly appreciate it. If not, think about supporting your local family services centers.

Because until we get the partner violence under control, if we ever can, the abused parent and their children will always need a safe place to go.

It would be nice if that were home.

You can support the center by going to my Human Race page.

Thank you.

You really can change the world in only one hour per week

He gave me a high five and his mother smiled.

"I'm so glad you're here. He doesn't have a lot of good male role models in his life."

None of them do. At least the six little boys that I, along with the other child advocate, took care of while their mothers sought domestic violence counseling in group.

The boys ages range from nine months old to five years old. And there are others as well who I don't see because they come on different days.

I don't know anything about their home life because we don't talk about it; I'm not a counselor and don't pretend to be one. Some of the mothers who come to the women's center were initially hesitant about my volunteering, even scared (I'm only the second of two men who have volunteered to date).

But they've warmed up to me. Again, I have no idea what their lives are like. I can only imagine based on my childhood and what my mother went through.

What's amazing to me is that, for all things considered, all of them seem pretty well adjusted. The two youngest ones sat on my lap while we watched the older boys bust a gut shouting and playing with plastic dinosaurs and superheroes.

And the fact that someday "they'll" grow up and befriend, even date my daughters, motivates me to be a positive influence.

I plan to continue the child advocacy and eventually get into the center's mentor program (like a Big Brothers program).

But this post isn't self-congratulatory; it's a call to action for other fathers and men to get involved. There are women's centers in almost every city, Big Brothers Big Sisters programs and many other programs where guys (and gals) can get involved for the betterment of children's lives.

You really can change the world in only one hour per week.