Hi, I’m Alex! I’m turning 50 this summer.
And I’m doing a 50 km trail run in August.
To help make
50 flights of
compassion
happen.
To help make 50 flights of compassion happen.
Could you help?
My 50k solo run took place on August 31, 2024. I ran to (and from!) Mt. Assiniboine, covering over 52 km and more than 2,300 m of elevation. You can watch the short film of my adventure below!
A personal moonshot for my 50th!
In celebration of having made 50 trips around the sun this summer, I’m running a 50 km trail in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and working with Give A Mile to raise $50,000 for those in desperate need of a flight of compassion.
50 years + 50 km + $50K = 50 lives changed
Make a difference today! Click here to donate and help fund 50 flights of compassion through Give A Mile:
How’s it going so far?
Milestone 1: First 4 Flights of Compassion
We reached this on June 16, 2024! Our first four flights!
Milestone 2: 10 Flights of Compassion
We did it! Made the 10th flight possible on July 30!
Milestone 3: 15 Flights of Compassion
We did it! With less than two days to spare, we made the 15th flight of compassion possible on August 29, 2024! That’s 15 people who have / will spend their final moments with people they love. Holding hands, saying goodbye, and being together. Instead of alone.
Milestone 4: 18 Flights of Compassion
I was talking with Alison from Give A Mile on August 29 who said she’s literally turning away families every day who are asking for help to get to their loved ones before they pass away, so I set a goal of three more flights.
And we met it on August 31!
Where are we now?
Since sharing the short film of my 50k adventure, we’ve still been receiving more donations. This is where things stand now:
Here’s where we’re at (September 4 2024 at 11:35 am MT):
Give A Mile
Notes:
- So far in this campaign, it has cost approximately $840 to fund each flight of compassion. I’ll update the final numbers once they come in from Give A Mile. Meanwhile, they are estimating 20 flights total.
- The total above can be different from the one on the donation form because donations can come through other channels too, e.g. through Benevity, Facebook, the US donations page or donated travel miles.
My wall of gratitude
Below are our amazing donors (updated August 28 at 9:45 pm MT), along with my notes of thanks to them.
My sincere thanks to every one of the following amazing flight heroes!
What’s Give A Mile?
Give A Mile is a registered charity that provides flights for people at the end of their lives, enabling them to connect with their loved ones for a final goodbye.
They work tirelessly to ensure that the cost of a plane ticket doesn’t prevent someone from being with their family and friends during such critical moments.
They facilitate donations of flight miles and funds to support these journeys, allowing people to share a last hug, smile, and farewell with their loved ones.
Learn more about Give A Mile here and hear from Kevin Crowe on the story behind it:
What’s a flight of compassion?
Every day, people with terminal or critical illnesses, or the people who love them, reach out to a charity called Give A Mile to ask for what they call a flight of compassion.
Basically, it’s a donated flight that allows people at the end of their lives to be with their loved ones for a final, meaningful goodbye – ensuring that the cost of travel does not prevent these important moments of connection.
How can you help?
On balance, it costs $1,000 to fund one flight of compassion. Which is an unreachable amount of money for so many of us.
By training to do a 50 km trail run for my 50th birthday, I’m hoping to rally enough people together to help Give A Mile raise $50,000. Which would be enough to fund 50 flights.
- You can contribute any amount and any contribution is big – it all adds up and everything makes a difference
- Celebrating my 50th birthday run with a $100 gift, brings Give A Mile 10% closer to providing a life-changing flight of compassion for someone in need
- A $500 donation would cover half the cost of a compassionate flight, bringing families together in times of need
- A $1,000 gift is truly extraordinary, allowing Give A Mile to instantly provide a flight of compassion to someone in their moment of need, reuniting them with loved ones
Your support is crucial! Donate now to fund life-changing flights of compassion. Every contribution helps us reach our $50,000 goal:
This is the first time I’ve ever tried to raise this kind of money for a charity. So I’d also be grateful for any help or ideas or connections you might be able to give me in making that happen:
Other FAQs
When and where’s your run going to be?
It’s looking like it’s going to be on August 31, 2024!
I have an incredible trainer and he’s been helping me decide between these two trails in the beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains:
Note: I ended up doing Assiniboine, saving Rockwall for next time!
Will I get a tax receipt?
Absolutely. Give A Mile is a registered charity in both Canada and the US. Their profile is found here and their website is here.
In Canada
For Canadians, donations to this campaign are processed by CanadaHelps – in exactly the same way all of Give A Mile’s other donations are processed. You can view the CanadaHelps donation page for this campaign here (and make a donation there if you prefer).
In the US
For Americans, we ask that you donate here (also linked from the bottom left side of the page). This gets you a US tax receipt and allows Give A Mile to fund US-based flights.
For other countries
The default donate button on this page will provide you with a tax receipt from CanadaHelps. We understand it depends on your country’s tax rules, but that most will accept this.
Can I donate travel miles?
Yes. To do that, please go here. For tracking purposes, please also specify that you’re donating to Alex’s 50 km Run Campaign for Give A Mile. Otherwise it won’t be tracked toward the goals of this initiative.
Can I donate through the Benevity platform?
Yes, e.g. if you have access through your workplace. For tracking purposes, please be sure to specify that you’re donating to Alex’s 50 km Run Campaign for Give A Mile. Otherwise it won’t be tracked toward the goals of this initiative.
Why are the totals different on this page and on the form?
That can happen when someone donates through another means than the form on this site. For example, through Benevity or through travel miles. In that case, the total here on this page should be taken as most up to date and complete.
Who are you, Alex?
👋 I’m a dad, husband, son, and brother. I’m an innovation and digital storytelling geek, and a several time startup founder.
I’m proud that my boutique digital agency built this website and manages the campaign. And excited to be putting my innovation processes into practice my own personal moonshot!
I live in Calgary and work across Canada and internationally through the two projects linked from the very bottom of this page.
PhD, PEng, MBA
If we haven’t met and you’re considering supporting Give A Mile in this way, then thank you! I’d be honored to have your help.