GBE teachers running for a cause

Gulf Breeze Elementary kindergarten teacher Amy Cayson and fifth grade teacher Chloe Vignes are training to complete the 2008 15th Annual Walt Disney World Marathon (26.2 miles) on Jan. 13.

In conjunction with their training, the pair is also raising money for the following foundations: Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation ($3,300 to raise by December), as Cayson is running in honor of Charito Lyster.

Joints in Motion Training Team Arthritis Foundation ($2'500 to raise by December), running in honor of Vignes' grandmother, Helen Slepsky. Vignes is also running for herself - she has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The money raised supports research and services for those that live with the diseases. In exchange, the foundations pay for their entrance into the race and hotel stay.

"We are doing this separate from school and it does not involve our students. But we are proud to be GBE teachers improving our community and would love to receive the community's support,' Vignes said.

People can donate to Amy's challenge at: www.active.com/donate/tntagc/ Amymarathon.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Facts: The need is critical - more than 785,000 Americans have leukemia, Hodgkin or non- Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma. Every five minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies.

Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20.

People may donate to Chloe's challenge and read about her progress as she becomes a marathon runner in 26 weeks at www.runchloerun.wordpress.com

Arthritis Fact: Arthritis affects so over 66 million Americans, including 300,000 children. Arthritis is the #1 cause of disability, costing the US economy $86.2 billion per year in medial care and indirect expenses including lost wages and production.