Doing it for the kids

Hi Joe!

This is Bill Eaker from Northside Elementary in Geneseo, Illinois. You just spoke to our students today at our Fine Arts Fair and I helped you set up the DVD. I just wanted to tell you how inspiring you were to the kids. When I got back to my 5th grade classroom, you were all the buzz, so I know you made a great impact on them. I heard one specific girl comment to a friend, “I think I’m going to start running!” This is a girl with self-esteem issues, so I think it is important that you know that you had an impact directly on her. My son, who is also in 5th grade, was talking about all the things you had done and how impressed he was. He and his friends were playing X-Box and talking about it the whole time. After they were done playing, they went on an “epic” bike ride across town. With all the childhood obesity that we see everyday at school, I just want to tell you that it is awesome that you take your time to talk to the kids, encouraging them to exercise and eat right.

Melanie Rice has talked to me about you for years, and it was a pleasure to finally meet you. It would have been nice to have some time to talk to you about biking and kayaking. I have been an avid mountain biker for years, and have been kayaking now for 7 years now. I have to admit that you inspired me a great deal today as well. I have always talked about planning, training, and completing the entire length of the Mississippi River by kayak, and you brought those thoughts back. Sometimes the doubt that sits in the back of the mind keeps me from larger accomplishments such as these. I’ll just have to set some short and long term goals, take baby steps, and you never know, I just might get around to doing that. Anyway, enough of my babbling. Keep up the great work and inspiration for the kids. I hope you had a safe trip home.

Bill Eaker
Northside Elementary
Geneseo, Illinois