This Let Me Run Coach practices what he preaches.
June 13, 2018 by Let Me Run National
Pen Peery, First Presbyterian’s Senior Pastor in Charlotte, NC, is a three-time Let Me Run Coach. He comes back season after season to coach because, “It’s become an avocation — a calling to serve beyond my day-job. I love watching the boys grow, succeed, and achieve their goals. They are a part of something, and as a coach, I am, too. ”
Pen’s involvement hasn’t stopped at coaching. Pen accepted the challenge of becoming a Charity Runner in the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon to raise funds for Let Me Run because, “it’s personal. I know how important running is in my life. I’ve seen it positively impact my son and his friends, and I want to help the organization grow to reach more boys with that positivity. And I need to practice what I have been preaching to the boys on our team! Meeting my goal of $5,000 will help me feel like I am giving back to an organization that has really made an impact. I see it as what it means to pull my weight — not just consume a great product, but help sustain it for the future. ”
Seeing the transformations in the boys on his teams, Pen believes in the power of the Let Me Run program. “I’ve seen first-hand what a difference LMR makes in boys’ lives and for their character and self-esteem. I know the world needs boys and men who have both, so I wanted to support Let Me Run’s mission. The organization takes an integrated approach to building healthy boys. Loneliness and mental health issues are certified epidemics among boys (and men). LMR helps bend the curve on those trends by engaging boys at an early age. “
Pen adds, “I hope that every boy who participates in Let Me Run understands their health (physical, social, mental) is a gift from God that they can appreciate and nurture. I also hope each of the boys knows that they are connected to a larger whole — a group, a team, a network — who support and love them.” Pen’s fundraiser will help more boys across the country join Let Me Run teams and build healthy relationships with themselves and others. Support Pen on his journey to the finish line at his Crowdrise page.
