In the spring of 2008, my partner Zac and I completed our first marathon and raised $3,400 to donate to Global Water in memory of my father, who had died the previous summer and had worked for clean water issues most of his life. In early 2010, when Zac and I decided we wanted to run the Los Angeles Marathon a second time, we immediately returned to Global Water.

We learned from our first fundraising attempt (and from volunteering during our local National Public Radio station’s fun drive) that people respond to swag. So we created three levels of donations, each with its own gift. People who were able to donate at the $50 level received a CD that we chose especially for them. Contributors at the $100 level received a batch of homemade almond and sea salt dark chocolates, and a batch of Zac’s homemade chili powder. At the $200 level, donors received two pieces of fine art, a penny tile donated by artist Ry Rocklen, and a woodcut print by artist and musician Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. Every donor was also entered into a sweepstakes for a variety of prizes that included books, magazines, and our own special grab bag of goodies.

We set our fundraising goal at $3,000 thinking that in our difficult economy, besting our 2008 fundraising total might prove difficult. However, with the additional draw of Carolyn and Ry’s art, the very generous nature of our family and friends, and a last minute plea on Facebook, we ended up surpassing our 2008 contribution by more than $1,000. Our final donation to Global Water: $4,331.

The 2010 LA Marathon was challenging—I had a major cramping incident around mile 17 and for a while, I wasn’t sure I would be able to finish. I even told Zac at one point to run ahead without me (which he didn’t do). But thinking about all the people who had helped us surpass our fundraising goal, who believed enough in Global Water’s mission to donate in the midst of a terrible economy, all of the friends who helped us in a variety of ways, I knew I couldn’t quit. Zac changed our running strategy on the fly, and even though I barely remember limping through the last several miles, we finished faster than our previous time. And, like last time, when I crossed the finish line, I thought about my dad, about Global Water, about how important Global Water’s work really is. And I felt an overwhelming gratitude to be able to send Global Water another contribution.