Fallen Angels Chilehead Charity Mission

First of all, I would like to thank Nick very much for helping me put this together.
For all y’all that don’t know me, I am generallee (birth name -Troy Hangen) and I am a chilihead on a mission.
Many, many moons ago, I made a list of 4 things I wanted to do before I die and this year I am going to do my first one – run a 26.2 mile marathon. ( The other 3 are skydive, hike the Appalachain Trail, and drive 200mph if anyone was wondering. )

Sitting around towards the end of last year after I completed Arizona’s Breast Cancer 3-day (insert links to 2 threads posted on me from last year), it came to me that doing things that benefit the health and well-being of others is more important to me than I had imagined. After it dawned on me that exercise is healthy for me, it also can benefit those who are unable to exercise for themselves. So what can I do next, I ask myself? Who can I help and how can I do it? That is when my list popped into my head. Start striking off any of the 4 things I wish to do and benefit someone while doing it. So after a few long nights and analyzing my position in life, I realized that the marathon would be the “easiest” (LOL) one for me to do now. That’s when I thought to myself who could I help and this is what I decided”¦

Since the door to the unknown (chilihead community and hot sauce) opened about 2 years ago, I have been inspired by one individual more than all others, a quiet kinda guy but most informative and a pioneer of the industry”¦ Jim Campbell. A man of trust and integrity, a humanitarian and a true American citizen. After learning about the man he is and what he does for others, I was inspired by him instantaneously.
If not everyone knows who he is and who he has helped in the past, spend a little time searching through this blog and also on his websites”¦
www.wildpepper.com
and
www.stepupforcharity.com
When it comes down to it, he a visionary. He has been greatly affected by death of close realtives and close friends and he set up a goal for himself and he went out and did it. A man in his late 40’s (sorry Jim, it goes along with the explanation  ), he decided to raise money and try to help the people that were affected most by their tragic deaths of their loved ones. That is when it struck me, I want to help others that have been greatly affected by the loss of a close friend or relative. That’s when my ” Fallen Angels” idea popped into my head.

A Fallen Angel can be defined in many different ways, but I see it / them as individuals on earth that are helpful, inspirational, people to lean on and people to trust that unfortunately lost their life and they are Angels looking down over all of us.
In the beginning of this year, I thought to myself what are some charities that I can help while training for this marathon and there were two that stood out above the others”¦
www.stepupforcharity.com
and
www.cfsrf.org
The “Step Up for Charity” should be self explanatory, help Jims’s cause that has helped me internally.
The “Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund” is little more in depth. As everyone knows, since the attack on America on 9/11 years ago, all of our lives’ have been affected. But many people seem to forget the families of the soldiers that lost their loved ones over sees fighting for our Freedom. Fallen Angels ““ fighting for what they believe in, the right to be Free, the right to be Americans.

About 20 weeks ago, I went out and bought a pair or running shoes and started training. It was extremely slow in the beginning, but I soon began to not struggle so much with the distance. Anyone interested can view my training schedule I am using below:

 

Five days a week, I was up at 4 am while it was still a cool 86 degrees here in the desert of Arizona. Every step I took, every water gulp I drank, I pondered how I could raise funds for these 2 charities. A light bulb went off in my head (how at 4:20 a.m. , I have no idea) and I thought about asking some hot sauce makers / manufacturers to create me some special bottles like the Step up For Charity auction that did so very well. I called 3 of my favorite hot sauce makers / manufacturers and I told them my thoughts and my vision and they all agreed to help me with my mission. I explained my Fallen Angels theme I was thinking and asked them to create me some bottles and they agreed. I also wanted a little symbolism in the auction so I thought the bottles should be empty ““ like the life’s that have been affect from the loss of their loved ones and the agreed. I told them all the money raised would go half to Jim’s charity and the other half to www.cfsrf.com and they were very eager to help me. But after all, it is the chilihead community, there was never a doubt.

So this is the day after Jim’s world record attempt (hopefully he broke his old record) and also it is my 7 year wedding anniversary (I Love You Melissa) and today, 5 separate auctions (the last one with a special addition compared to the 4 others) will start to go on eBay one after another. The proceeds of the auctions (minus auction and paypal fees) will go directly to the two charities listed above. It is the least I can do. It is an honor being an American. Training 1,000 miles and being able to go home to my loving family after the marathon is a privilidge. So I ask you chilihead community for a little support for the next few months. Think of me, pray for me, a high five to me when I meet all ya’ll in New Mexico next year. Janruary 13, 2008 here in Phoenix, Arizona is the marathon day. The marathon is called the P.F. Changs Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon ( www.rnraz.com ) I am really looking forward to the run and completing training, but at most, I am really looking forward to helping others.
Thank you for your time, Thank You to my friend Jim Campbell for the inspiration, and Thank You very much to the Americans in the Armed Forecs that are putting your life’s on the line for the Red, White, and Blue and everything it stands for.
God Bless all y’all.

GeneralLee (aka Troy)

Auction for the #3 of 5 set available here

Written by Nick Lindauer

The Original Hot Sauce Blog

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