News
The following article was featured in the October 14th Sports Edition of the Houston Chronicle.
As an athletic director, Joe Paschall understands the importance of walking the walk. He lifts weights five days a week, runs, swims, bikes and commutes on foot to his job at Austin's Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where he is active all day.
A Houston native, Paschall plans to be one of four visually impaired competitors in Sunday's Try Andy's Tri in Sugar Land. It will be his first triathlon, and he's doing it so he'll be better able to recruit students who might want to attempt a triathlon with the help of C Different. The nonprofit organization helps blind and visually impaired people compete in athletic events by pairing them with sighted training partners and offsetting costs of equipment and travel. A fundraiser after Sunday's event will benefit the group.
“It's not for everyone, but if someone is visually impaired and they have the tenacity and drive and the heart to push themselves, the only things needed are practice and a guide, and that's an easy fix,” Paschall said.
C Different was created in 2001 by Matt Miller, a former elite Ironman triathlete who now lives in Sugar Land. Miller, 33, was a swimmer and a marketing major at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., His experience guiding a blind Chicago woman through a triathlon inspired him to organize C Different. The group has since helped about 300 people through a variety of programs.
Miller also produced a documentary, Victory Over Darkness, about five visually impaired people's experiences competing in an Ironman triathlon that has been screened at several film festivals. And Miller is not above using his modeling chops for the cause. He is the face of the new Avon Ironman fragrance and part of his deal requires that information about C Different be included on the products' packaging and in Avon catalogs.
“I have perfect eyesight. I feel blessed for that. I've been extremely fortunate my entire life,” he said.
Miller is also increasing his efforts. He recently organized Operation Refocus, which aims to help blinded veterans participate in triathlons. And he hopes Sunday's activities will help raise local awareness of his goal, which is to have visually impaired athletes participate as equals rather than at the back of the pack.
That suits Paschall, 53, who never let his visual disability keep him from an athletic lifestyle. He played football and ran track in high school and majored in physical education in college. He's even cycled across Russia on a tandem bike.
Paschall, who is legally blind even with contacts, says he will use a guide on Sunday even though he could complete the swimming and running portions on his own, needing only a pilot to keep him on the road during the bike ride. While Try Andy's Tri will be his first triathlon, he's considering an attempt at an Ironman distance — a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and marathon — in 2011.
“It's not just the athletics,” he explained. “It's wellness and fitness — it encompasses so much more than just the competition part.
“Having a (disability) challenge intensifies everything that you do,” he said. “It's really important to try and be healthy. It's going to be worse if you don't take care of your body.”
C Different Foundation is thankful for Race Director Andy Stewart's on-going passionate support of our athletes and for being an integral partner with The C Different Foundation. We look forward to serving those who have committed their lives to serve us all.
For more information, please e-mail:
Marrielle Monte Canales, CDF Executive Director: marrielle@cdifferent.org
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C DIFFERENT BENEFIT
The fundraiser includes food and a silent auction.
When : 4-8 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Ragin Cajun, 16100 Kensington, Sugar Land.
Admission: $25 donation; $50 includes entry into a December 5K benefiting the organization
By ROBERTA MacINNIS Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
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NOTE: Travel expenses for the athletes are covered by the C Different Foundation and the Acumen Contracting Group, one of the premier roofing and general contracting companies in the United States and a major contributor to the C Different Foundation.
2008
CDF Event Schedule
2/17/08 A1A Marathon/ Half Marathon, Fort Lauderdale, FL
5/18/08 Disney Half Ironman, Orlando FL
6/22/08 Ironman Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
7/20/08 New York City Tri -PC National Championships
If you are a blind athlete, and would like to compete at one of these events with us, please send an email to info@cdifferent.org and we will get you taken care of.
Please check back for results and updates about the CDF Athletes.
May 2007
CDF Triathlon Race Schedule
5/06/07 Tri Miami Sprint tri
6/24/07 Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon
7/22/07 New York City Tri PC National Championships
Please check back for results and updates about the CDF Athletes.
2006 August
The Vons Foundation awarded C Different a check for the generous sum of $15,000! Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen.
2006 August
The World Ironman Corporation donates over $50,000 to CDF through an annual online auction of slots to the Ironman World Championship in Kona. The slots were auctioned on ebay.com. Thank you Ironman!
2006 June
2nd Annual Showcase Concert by Heidi Musser brings in $4,500 in dontations.
