Summer Challenge 2023
TEAM BEADS OF COURAGE SUMMER CHALLENGE
Join Team BOC today and accept our 2023 summer challenge.
Together, we can encourage children coping with serious illness with every step, stride, hill climb, and every lap we swim!
Beads of Courage invites you to make your miles matter more this summer by participating in the Team Beads of Courage Summer Challenge. Whether you’re a recreational athlete, a serious competitor or something in between, our 100-mile Summer Challenge lets you support courageous kids coping with serious illness through the activities you already love to do.
When: The Team BOC Summer Challenge runs from the first through the last day of summer, June 21-September 22.
How: Register for the Team BOC Challenge today for $25 and receive your Summer Challenge participant package which includes a:
- 2023 Summer Challenge Carry a Bead Kit
- BOC waterbottle
- 2023 Summer Challenge Sticker
- Set of Mission Moment Cards to encourage BOC supporters you recruit
- Beads of Courage Cowbell
Those who complete 100 miles and raise a minimum of $100, will qualify to receive the Team Beads of Courage Summer Challenge finisher gifts upon completion – Medal and Dri-Fit shirt.
Ready to get started? Click below to register today and you will be on your way!
SUPPORT TEAM BOC DURING THE SUMMER CHALLENGE!
If you can’t take part in the 100-mile challenge, you can still support our team! Click on the DONATE button below to visit the Summer Challenge campaign page. Once there, choose “Donate” to make a donation in any amount to support Team BOC. Or, scroll down to see all the challenge participants and select the one you’d like to support. Thank you for helping us reach our Challenge goal of $20,000 this summer to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and further our mission of hope and healing for kids coping with serious illness.
Once Officially Registered, You Will Receive
Communications to support you in meeting your Challenge Goals of 100 miles completed and a minimum of $100 raised.
A link to our Team Beads of Courage Mile Log to track your Summer Challenge miles. All Summer Challenge participants must use the Mile Log to track miles to be eligible for additional summer challenge incentives.
A personal fundraising page to raise the challenge minimum of $100. Invite friends, family, and coworkers to help you reach your Summer Challenge fundraising goal by making a tax-deductible donation. All funds raised benefit Beads of Courage and our mission of hope and healing for kids coping with serious illness.
Optional – An invitation to join our Team Beads of Courage Strava Club! We can’t wait to see our Team grow on Strava while encouraging one another in meeting our Challenge Goal of 100 Miles for courageous kids!
2023 AMBASSADORS – COMING!
MANY THANKS TO OUR 2022 TEAM BEADS OF COURAGE SUMMER CHALLENGE AMBASSADORS
STACIE EICHINGER
WALKING
Hello! My name is Stacie. I am a second generation native to Tucson and have always loved the outdoors. In 2013, over the course of 9 months, I walked 3,575 miles across America for Beads of Courage from Ocean Shores, WA to Tybee Island, GA.
CHELSEY MAGNESS
MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE
Chelsey Magness is a professional adventure racer, a mountain bike world champion, a world renowned acrobatics teacher and a mother. Most days you can find her either on her mat, on her bike or chasing her two young sons around in the woods. Her big indulgences are lattes, dark chocolate and staying up way too late training underneath the stars.
DEAN HALL
SWIMMING
Dean has been a licensed clinical therapist and coach for over 30 years. Astonishingly, in that time he has conducted over fifty thousand face-to-face, one-hour sessions. Besides being an author and highly sought-after speaker, Dean is also a two-time cancer survivor, widower and world record-setting extreme distance swimmer. He is the first person to swim the entire 187-mile length of Oregon’s longest river, the Willamette River (which he did as an active cancer patient) in 2014, and Ireland’s longest river, the River Shannon (180 miles) in 2017, which was the first time he carried Beads of Courage delightedly doing so for the Childhood Cancer Foundation of Ireland. For more information, visit https://swimminginmiracles.com.
ART “KARTS” HUSEONICA
CANOEING/KAYAKING/PADDLING
At age 71, Karts likes to say that he is retired from working, but not from living. Karts has completed many record-setting quests, including a solo double-traverse of Death Valley, record-setting Amazon River expedition, and record-setting hike of the 800-mile Arizona Trail. He is the oldest person to complete the Bear Grylls’ extreme survival course and was a crew member on the Amazon original series Eco-Challenge Fiji. This summer, as a Team Beads of Courage Ambassador, Karts will strive to complete a 60-day expedition to canoe 2,020 miles of the Yukon River. Follow Beads of Courage on social media for updates from Karts throughout the summer. For more information on the Yukon River quest, visit https://www.yukon2020.com/
AMY EDWARDS
HIKING ENTHUSIAST
Hi there, my name is Amy and I really started hiking in 2017 when I signed up to do the 52-Hike Challenge. Since then, I’ve explored many different areas and am currently section hiking/biking the Arizona Trail. Being in nature while challenging yourself physically is very therapeutic.
TIMMY SAMEC
TRIATHLETE
Timmy is a seasoned triathlete originally from the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, now living in Tampa, Florida. He recently finished his PhD at Clemson University and is getting back into the full swing of swimming, biking, and running! Timmy has been a member of Team USA and competed in the 2015 and 2016 ITU World Championships, as well as being a qualifier for the 2021 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Timmy has three pets with his fiancé Shaina: Chloe (cat), Milo (cat), and Cooper (new puppy!).
KAITLIN ELLEDGE
TRIATHLETE
Kaitlin is an avid triathlete, runner and former collegiate soccer player. She has completed 5 full iron-distance triathlons and multiple half-iron distance triathlons, as well as many marathons and half marathons. She is a former collegiate soccer player and was recently inducted into the Athletics Hall of Honor at her alma mater. She loves being active, spending time with her fiancé and two dogs, and cheering on the US Women’s Soccer Team!
MICHAEL MARTINEZ
MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST & WILDERNESS HIKER
Michael Martinez is a current PhD Environmental Chemistry student from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a former martial arts champion. Michael took first at the ISKA U.S Open, Pan-American Internationals, Compete Nationals and has trained with UFC mixed martial arts fighters. He has contributed to oncology research, COVID-19, kidney, applied biotechnology, genetic engineering, and lanthanide chemistry research. Michael is Yup’ik and Otomi from Anchorage, Alaska USA. He enjoys hiking with his giant schnauzer named Cima and helping find solutions for green technologies.