2008 Woodie Awards
Wezner raises $200 for cancer cure
By: Valerie Carpani
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Joe Wezner made up his mind a while ago that he would run a marathon race for his dad.
On Friday, he raised about $200 for that cause and for cancer support community Gilda's Club.
At 7:15 a.m. next Sunday, the Macomb senior will start running 26.2 miles for Gilda's Club in the 30th annual Detroit Free Press/Flagstar marathon.
"Mostly I'm doing this for my dad. He passed away from cancer my junior year, while I was on the cross country team," Wezner said. "That season I was on crutches - he never got to watch me run one last time. So I thought of the biggest race I can think of and he can watch me from above."
Michael Mills, an Oakland University junior, has been Wezner's friend for 11 years.
"A lot of people are touched by it - but not a lot of people do anything to make a difference," he said. "Joe took what happened to him and is using it as motivation and trying to make a difference."
Wezner and his band, The Guise, performed during the fundraiser.
"We've been practicing three or four times a week getting ready for this. We have also done a lot of publicizing," said Troy senior Shawn Verbruggen.
Verbruggen said the band made a Facebook group that has more than 200 invites, as well as posting fliers and announcements in classes.
"The idea came to me one time while I was running," Wezner said. "I told Shawn and we talked about it until 3 a.m. and now have been planning for about a month and a half."
Cass City senior Krystee Dorland said Wezner's goal originally was $250 and he keeps raising the bar in hopes of eventually getting $750.
"I know Joe has worked really hard to raise money for the cause," she said.
Sterling Heights senior Xhafer Husen said these goals, to race and raise money, have made Wezner happier.
"He has a lot of drive," Husen said. "Joe took something he loved and something he really cares about and put the two together."
As for Wezner, he said he's staring to get nervous.
"It's getting to the crunch time," he said. "I'm running for different reasons and I don't want to let anyone down."
news@cm-life.com
On Friday, he raised about $200 for that cause and for cancer support community Gilda's Club.
At 7:15 a.m. next Sunday, the Macomb senior will start running 26.2 miles for Gilda's Club in the 30th annual Detroit Free Press/Flagstar marathon.
"Mostly I'm doing this for my dad. He passed away from cancer my junior year, while I was on the cross country team," Wezner said. "That season I was on crutches - he never got to watch me run one last time. So I thought of the biggest race I can think of and he can watch me from above."
Michael Mills, an Oakland University junior, has been Wezner's friend for 11 years.
"A lot of people are touched by it - but not a lot of people do anything to make a difference," he said. "Joe took what happened to him and is using it as motivation and trying to make a difference."
Wezner and his band, The Guise, performed during the fundraiser.
"We've been practicing three or four times a week getting ready for this. We have also done a lot of publicizing," said Troy senior Shawn Verbruggen.
Verbruggen said the band made a Facebook group that has more than 200 invites, as well as posting fliers and announcements in classes.
"The idea came to me one time while I was running," Wezner said. "I told Shawn and we talked about it until 3 a.m. and now have been planning for about a month and a half."
Cass City senior Krystee Dorland said Wezner's goal originally was $250 and he keeps raising the bar in hopes of eventually getting $750.
"I know Joe has worked really hard to raise money for the cause," she said.
Sterling Heights senior Xhafer Husen said these goals, to race and raise money, have made Wezner happier.
"He has a lot of drive," Husen said. "Joe took something he loved and something he really cares about and put the two together."
As for Wezner, he said he's staring to get nervous.
"It's getting to the crunch time," he said. "I'm running for different reasons and I don't want to let anyone down."
news@cm-life.com
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