Probably the Most Worthwhile Reason I Run

2015 Money Found For Food Bank: $98.78

Okay, I get that running is good for my health, both physical and mental, and all that jazz. But, in addition to that, finding money to donate to the Food Bank often feels like the most worthwhile reason I run. That's probably because there's almost always an immediate, measureable payoff, no pun intended.

I look forward to this day to recount and see if my year-long tally was accurate. This year, after counting, I had to adjust up (yahoo!), and the Food Bank scores! That $98.78 translates into 1481.7 pounds of food, or just about 1087 meals. NICE!! It was just out there on the streets ... waiting for me ... (it's not unlike how we say we scored finding Elly at the Humane Society because it was like she was just waiting there for us, only we found and kept her which is actually very different from finding this money that's allegedly 'been waiting for me' only to turn around and give it away again. So, really, it's not like adopting Elly at all. BUT I do run because of Elly, so there has to be something symbiotic here that I'm just not putting together. But, I digress ...)

As each piece of treasure is gathered one by one (which also translates into a really substantial number of squats, so there's a sweet, accidental cross-training effect in force) and stashed in Peanuts receptacles, donation day also means one of the most disgusting duties: Sorting and counting some really, dirty money.

This year's haul went from here ...

... to here ...

You better believe there was some serious Clorox wipes
action going on for that table after all was said and done!

... to here ...

By this point, I had washed my hands at least five times.
Eww ... eww ... eww. Even the cleanest of money is just Eww.

... and, finally, to here:

We added our Money Found Walking Around as well as money saved by both young Crewers, so the entire total was $147.05 (2205.75 pounds of food/1617.55 meals. BAM.).

I will be the first to admit the actual donation part is amazingly anticlimactic, so it's a good thing that it's not about that moment. It's about where it's going from here and, admittedly, how much fun it was to collect!

And, the tally starts over tomorrow from zero! Here's to another year of great finds and for being so very thankful we can be on the giving end of this endeavor!

I'll be checking after the morning run!