TriForm is the name I’ve given the fund-raiser I’m currently running. It consists of three parts:

The first part is the Triathlon itself. The Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon is an all women’s triathlon, consisting of a 1/4 mile swim, a 17 mile bike and a 3 mile run. Women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities come from all over to join each other in this group competition. It is also my first triathlon. I picked this triathlon based on the recommendation of several other family members, women, that have competed in it and enjoyed it and the company they had while enduring the race itself. This is part one of TriForm.

Part two of the TriForm is the Dedication. My competing in the Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon is about many things: it’s about endurance, it’s about pushing past pre established physical limitations, it’s about challenging the body and the mind, but for me, and foremost in my thoughts through these months of training and I know during the race itself, will be the dedication I hold in my heart for someone that has passed away. My dedication is for Mr. M, and for his family. This is part two of TriForm.

The third and last part of the TriForm is the Fund-Raiser. This is where you get involved, open your heart, and offer support. There are two ways you can help support TriForm. You can help by donating funds through check made payable to Temple University Health System, which is the Philadelphia hospital where all donations will be sent “in memory of” Mr. M after the completion of the triathlon. Monetary donations are also tax deductible. The other way you can get involved in the fund-raiser is by participating in the multi-media postcard dedication project. The Post Project is a creative way for you, as a supporter to actually and physically, show your support, even if it’s hard to financially donate funds. You can send a postcard to the PO Box address below with a simple dedication sentence, or the sentence “In Memory of Mr. M” and I’ll donate 50 cents to the fund-raiser for every postcard received. Also, for the first 50 postcards received, I’ll return one as a personal “thank you” for getting involved in a project that means a great deal to me. The “thank you” postcards are images from the Magnum Stories Book, a collective of photojournalist’s images from all over the world.

Please remember, any donation amount helps, which is why even sending a postcard as a dedication to the fund-raiser -helps-. If you can spare $1 then please consider it, any amount would help.

Monetary donations and postcard dedications can be sent to:

Melinda Houvig

PO Box 169

Wayne, PA 19087-0169

*Please make checks payable to Temple University Health System, and fill in the memo area with “donation.”