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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Update from our CEO & Visionary Leader, Derrick Shirley

Thank you so much for your support Janet, Tonya, Krys, Shelley and all of the other OWN Ambassadors; Oprah's "Carriers of Light", and everyone else who has help support us.

Because time and our fundraising goal is running short, I talked to my publisher and am extending the book giveaway offer until I am done the Cross Canada bicycle ride.

I leave Vancouver on April 16 (also my 45th birthday) and will be riding almost 8000 kms, up to 150km a day (6-8 hours a day) reaching St. John's NF in the first week of July. I will be stopping in at police precincts garnering their support and doing talks to 1000's of high school students across the country about the power of youth leadership and Dreaming Big!

Hundreds of others have helped us in this worthwhile cause to promote youth leadership and end teen suicide. We can't thank people enough for the support we have received this far. People have donated hours upon hours of their personal time to help bring The IT Takes 2 Tandem Bicycle Ride for Youth at Risk to life; It is truly amazing.

Now, we just need cold hard cash to cover the expenses and deliver the program to the youth. There is no simpler way to put it.

The St. Thomas Health Club has sponsored us over $20,000 worth of space for the Institute where I now have my treadmill desk set up so I can work and workout at the same time. Leanne Meek, my wonderful partner, has been paying all of our bills and expenses as I am working sometimes over 100 hours a week combined on this program, seeing clients, writing wellness tips, and talking on the phone with police, sponsors, and doing press interviews. It is a tremendous amount of work but it's working!

Last week we got our first celebrity endorsement and he will be doing a video testimonial for us from LA and then sending it on to other celebrities for their support. I received calls from the RCMP in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and they want to ride with me when I hit the Maritimes. Staples is going to help us with door prizes when we get to the high schools, and we just sent our sponsorship package into Husky Energy and hope to start talks with them. But getting the big corporate sponsors takes hours and hours of background work, phone calls and emails. So in order to get this years ride off the ground and keep us going until our corporate supporters hear this message, we need the help of the public.

All anyone has to do is go to our current website www.IT2Institute.com (a new one is on the way). At the bottom of the page there is a donation button. Click that button to make your donation and for any donation over six dollars (that covers the cost of shipping), I will personally send an autographed copy of my book with a special note of thanks.

Here is the link to visit the site: www.it2institute.com

And if you already purchased a book, and you have already made a donation, thank you. We are asking you to carry this message on to your contacts and into your workplace. Copy and paste these words above, send them the link to the website, or do your own email blitz. If we reach 1 million people and 1 million people give us $1 each we will be able to deliver this program.

Www.it2institute.com

Thanks so much for your support and see you on the road!

Derrick Shirley

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