September 4, 2009

Last weekend, Mike Pluimer ran, swam, and biked his way to raising more than $30,000…that he's giving away. Pluimer is donating the money he collected, and more, to HIV and AIDS programs through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

Pluimer says he can see a day when "HIV and AIDS are no longer a pandemic in Africa, and our brothers and sisters can cross their finish line in good health." On August 30, Pluimer crossed his finish line in Louisville, Kentucky, completing the "Ironman Louisville" in a respectable 13.5 hours in a field of 2,435 competitors. Pluimer spent the last twelve months training and raising money through personal appearances at churches and schools, and online.

The Louisville Ironman is one of a number of grueling physical events Pluimer scheduled throughout the past year. His race season started in June with the Ironman Coeur d'Alene, continued with the July Chisago Lakes (Minn.) Half Ironman, and included the Alaska State Championships Olympic Distance Race in early August. The Louisville event featured a 2.5 mile swim in the Ohio River, a 112 mile bike segment through the hills of Kentucky, and a 26.2 mile marathon past Churchill Downs.

"The Ironman takes endurance and commitment," Pluimer says. "Not only by me, but by the strong support group who train, cheer, and pray me through." There's nothing like passing the finish line, Pluimer adds. "There are few things more satisfying in life than hearing long-time race announcer Mike Reilly say one more time, "Mike Pluimer—YOU are an Ironman!"

Because of his fundraising efforts for CRWRC's Embrace AIDS Campaign, Pluimer also won second place in the Janus Charity Challenge. Janus matched Pluimer's $30,000 with an additional prize of $8,000 for HIV and AIDS alleviation through CRWRC.

CRWRC has HIV and AIDS programs in 17 countries on three continents. A faith-based relief and development organization since 1962, CRWRC has addressed the HIV and AIDS pandemic for 15 years. The agency, part of the Christian Reformed denomination, provides palliative and respite care, prevention education, and community-based programs for orphans, vulnerable children and foster families. The funds Pluimer collected are designated for the CRWRC Embrace AIDS Campaign (www.iembraceaids.org), which has raised $3 million for HIV and AIDS alleviation in the last two years.

Pluimer's support team and CRWRC regional developer Randy Hedman collaborated to attract pledgers who raised $500 from supporters by accumulating Ironman miles over the year, encouraging both healthy exercise and charitable giving. More than 250 pledgers, or "I-joiners"—most of whom are young people from three countries, eleven states, and three Canadian provinces, signed-up to "Join the Race" with Pluimer. The I-joiners accumulated 2,532 bike miles, 1,208 miles running, 67 swim miles, and 45 hours of other physical exercise with the corresponding financial pledges.

The effort, Pluimer says, by those who are physically strong on behalf of those who are afflicted with HIV and AIDS helps us all get to the finish line together.

Additional donations for "Join the Race" are being accepted through the month of September at http://www.jointherace.org/ or http://www.crwrc.org/donate/.

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee