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World Champion wheelchair athlete continues to motivate nation’s youth

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

HOUSTON – It was 29 years ago this month that Kevin Saunders life was changed forever.

“Thanks to the good Lord I got a second chance,” said Saunders.

A grain elevator explosion left him paralyzed from the chest down so that second chance wasn’t going to be easy.

“Physical injuries didn’t kill me,” said Saunders. “The self doubt and the deep depression that I went through almost did.”

But a wheelchair race a year after the accident in Georgia changed all that. Since then, Kevin has made it a mission to encourage everyone, especially young people, to stay active and never give up. A message he learned through fitness.

“It means a great deal to me to be able to help the young people, to be able to make a difference in the communities across America,” said Saunders

“Behind ever great man is an even greater woman!” Kevin and wife Dora Saunders Summer 2010

That’s why Saunders who was recently nominated for chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports has made it his mission to push his wheelchair through portions of all 50 states with his Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour. With a mission is to inspire and empower the American people, through education to make healthier lifestyle choices.

The vision of the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is for Americans to understand the significance of physical fitness and nutrition, as they reach for their goals, and for them to make the necessary changes to lead healthier lives. The purpose is to educate the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices.

Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is a non-profit organization dedicated to educate, motivate, and inspire the American people to set and reach high personal goals and accept personal responsibility for their health and fitness regardless of their challenges, adversities, or personal tragedies. Through government participation and corporate collaborations, we aim to directly teach the American people how to make healthier lifestyle choices.

By providing instruction and materials to students and their parents, communities and states about the effects of physical fitness and nutrition on their bodies, the connection between physical fitness and their ability to reach their goals, how to read food labels, and how to create nutritionally balanced meals.  Our goal is to inspire them to get motivated to make healthier lifestyle changes, and provide some of the resources to make those changes, including coupons for free healthy food from national healthy food vendors, daily personal accountability journals with fitness and nutritional tips and conversion charts and shopping lists, and informational websites conversion tables for food and fitness activities. Kevin Saunders was the first person with a disability and Paralympian to be appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports by President George H.W. Bush and the only person reappointed by President Bill Clinton. He also served a special constituent expert for a Special Commission by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and the Department of Health and Human Services to come up with a plan to improve fitness and Health for people with disabilities.

The plan is to tour the United States, visiting various cities in all 50 states, carrying the message of physical fitness and proper nutrition.

The core of the plan is to provide a focused educational experience in the form of a presentation to students in all 50 states.  The target audiences are students in public schools grades 3 through 12.  The presentation will be provided free of charge to the schools and will cover the following topics:

  1. Motivation and inspiration to set and reach personal goals for personal fitness and to make healthier choices
  2. The positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition on the mind and body
  3. The connection between living a healthy lifestyle and the ability to reach one’s personal goals
  4. The role of accountability and perseverance in making healthier choices
  5. Where to find more resources, information, and support to make healthier choices
  6. Recognition of one student in the school who exemplifies the concepts we are promoting

 

Students will be provided with educational brochures that summarize the information provided in the presentation.  Daily pocket accountability journals will be distributed to students, so they may begin their journal towards wellness. 

In addition, we will be hosting a meeting with parents at select cities.  At the meeting, we will share the key concepts presented to the students.  Parents will be encouraged to evaluate their family’s current health habits and make decisions to improve them.  We will provide direction and resources to help them be successful.  Coupons for free healthy food will be distributed to the parents, as well as tips for creating healthier meals and encouraging physical activity for the entire family.

To supplement our efforts and maximize their effectiveness, we will be meeting with local government officials and community leaders in every city that we visit.  We will host a summit that addresses the health and fitness needs of the city, facilitates discussion, and provides solutions to current health problems. 

We will create a website that is easy to understand and provides a wide range of physical fitness and nutritional information.  The website will contain tips on how to apply the information in everyday life, together with how to read food labels, conversion tables and much more.  We will make available templates for the accountability journal on our website Fitness4All50StateTour.com. The website will also provide links to other valuable resources, including websites and books.

To measure the effectiveness of our efforts, we will be using various tracking tools.  We will distribute a survey that evaluates the students’ attitudes and habits before and after the school presentations.  With the help of school officials, we will measure the students’ health statistics and habits before the presentations and at various time intervals after the presentation.  Parent attitudes and habits will be measured with a similar survey.  The effectiveness of the health and fitness summits will be measured as well.  We will collect data about the attitudes of the city leaders regarding physical fitness and nutrition and the health initiatives before and after the summit.

As the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is a non-profit corporation we would appreciate any leads or suggestions for getting the funding necessary to complete this 2 to 3 year tour to make a positive difference and reduce obesity in America one community at a time.

Also anyone who would like to write a letter of support to President Obama of Kevin Saunders as the next chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and his plan for the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour. Please take a look at Kevin’s homepage at www.KevinSaunders.com and click on the link below the big blue NEVER GIVE UP! that says; Who is Kevin Saunders, and why should he be the Chairman of the President’s Council for Physical Fitness & Sports? There you will see some of Kevin’s Accomplishments experience and plan for the tour and also some sample letters. We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you in city or school near you!

Wishing you all the best,

 

The Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour team

Kevin enjoys speaking & motivating our nations youth to get fit!

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Kansas native pushes for spot on national council

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

State senators are sponsoring a resolution for a native son to head America’s highest fitness council. Link

The resolution was presented in the Kansas Senate Wednesday afternoon to support Kevin Saunders to receive the position of Chairman of the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports. Saunders lives in Texas but is originally from Downs in north central Kansas. An elevator explosion in 1981 left him paralyzed from the chest down. Saunders is a two-timepPara Olympian and medal winner and was named the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete in 1990.

Pictured here is Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder and State Senator Janis Lee of Kensington.

Posted in Motivational Coaching, Wheelchair Tour Across America - Revolutions | 1 Comment »

Vote for Kevin Saunders nominated for Chairman of the President’s Fitness Council

Monday, December 28th, 2009

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Kevin Saunders 1st wheelchair person for Chairman President’s Fitness Council and Kevin Saunders 1st person with a disability for chairman President’s Fitness Council wants to push through all 50 states in his wheelchair promoting fitness4all by visiting schools with a motivational message and by handing out personal daily accountability personal journals for the students to set their long and short term goals for education, fitness and making healthy choices so they can see that their goals are not accomplished in days or even weeks but usually month and even years. I think  Kevin Saunders being a world champion Paralympic Athlete and one of the top 100 motivational speakers in America gives him an excellent opportunity to succeed and reduce the obesity epidemic in America.

The President’s Fitness Council would be greatly helped with Kevin Saunders leading them. With Kevin Saunders’ experience under two previous President’s Fitness Councils he has the background to get the job done right. As a former fitness champion, speaker, leader and motivational coach for Kansas State University football team who had the “Greatest turn-around in college football history” Kevin fits the needs to help lead the PCPFS and help America shape up!

Kevin Saunders has learned how to lead others to success. As Chairman of the President’s Fitness Council and the first disabled nominee Kevin Saunders will lead the Council to greater heights than ever before. As one of the first nominees Kevin Saunders will promote fitness to kids in schools across America. Kevin Saunders was nominated by US Senator, Pat Roberts this fall because he believes Kevin will be able to significantly reduce the obesity epidemic in America and that makes Kevin Saunders the best choice for the job of Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

Kevin Saunders as Chairman of the fitness council for the President will be a great leader to improve accountability for fitness in America. The President needs a man like Kevin Saunders a world champion Paralympian who was paralyzed from the chest down in one of the worst explosions in Texas history. The Obama administration will need to get a letter of support from each of us to support Kevin Saunders as his next selection for Chairman of his Fitness Council.

Kevin Saunders can be the next Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports - PCPFS with your support letter to the President and Secretary Sebelius. With your support Kevin Saunders will be able take the lead over other possible nominees or possible choices for President. When it comes to the President’s choices for Chairman of his fitness council he want’s aChairman who will help reduce obesity in our youth across America. Kevin has a plan to help motivate students across America to be accountable using their daily accountabilty journals for setting their long and short term goals for education, fitness and making healthy choices and making plans to reach those goals and refine them as they go by seeing what works best!

So, let’s all work to make Kevin Saunders the first choice to lead President’s Fitness Council. The President’s choices to lead Fitness Council should include a person like Kevin Saunders a who was injurd in one of the worst explosion in Texas history. In an explosion that completely destroyed the building Kevin Saunders was in leavin nothing but the concrete foundation and hurling him through the roof over 300 feet (the length of a football field onto a concrete parking lot) not expected to live and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down for life and confined to a wheelchair. Most would have given up, but Kevin Saunders went on to become the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete.

When Kevin visit’s a school and students see him in a wheelchair his paralyzed body from the chest down bears silent testimony to one who has overcome incredible odds and beckons others to follow. Kevin Saunders is the bestPresidential Fitness Council nominations for Chairman possible. As one of the nominees Kevin Saunders can help make America more fit.                                 

When Kevin Saunders was nominated for Chairman he vowed to push his wheelchair through all 50 states promoting health and fitness. When it comes to your considerations for Chairman -  of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports – PCPFS think about Kevin Saunders and how his story of trgedy to triumph makes him the best choice to make. You can see more about Kevin at www.KevinSaunders.com  or got to www.Wikipedia.org  (Type in Kevin Saunders) to see a short encyclopedia type BIO about Kevin. The President’s selections for fitness council are extremely important to help improve our nation’s health crisis. Obama’s fitness council with the right Chairman can improve America’s fitness level. With Kevin Saunders as our next Chairman of the President’s Fitness Council he can lead a revolution in America one community, one school district, one state at a time and help improve fitness and sports participation for all levels of society across America.

Send your support letters for Kevin Saunders for Chairman to:

President Obama / Presidential Personnel RE: Chairman PCPFS
THE WHITE HOUSE
1600 Pensylvania Ave.
Wahington, D.C. 20500

and cc that same letter of support to:

Ms. Kathleen Sebelius Secretary Health and Human Services – HHS
200 Independence Ave.
Washington,  D.C. 20201

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
You will get a letter back from THE WHITE HOUSE because your opinion and your VOTE COUNTS!!!!

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Met with Media and Government Officials in Little Rock

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

At the Capital building in Little Rock

5:30 a.m. CST – We departed for an interview with Ernie Paulson of KARK Little Rock. The interview started at 6:32 a.m. and lasted for about three minutes. Ernie was very excited about the story and wanted to follow up with us before we left town. We gave him our number and he told us that he would call.

After returning to the hotel from the interview, we rested for a while and I prepared for my meeting with Chris Pyle, with the Governor’s Office, at the capitol building.

2:30 p.m. CST – We departed for the meeting with Chris Pyle, the Policy Advisor for Family and Faith for the state of Arkansas.

3:45 p.m. CST – We arrived at the State Capitol building in Little Rock, Arkansas. We went to the second floor of the building where we met Chris Pyle in the Governor’s Reception Room. There, we discussed Governor Huckabee’s Healthier Arkansas Initiative and how what I was doing with the Tour could Arkansas’s efforts to reduce obesity and unhealthy living. Governor Huckabee himself had taken personal responsibility for his health and had lost a lot of weight and gotten in shape. He is a great example of what you can do when you put your mind to it and decide there is always a way and never give up.  I told him that one of our sponsors, Imshapingup.com, was providing free memberships for government officials at both city and state level and how this would be the first virtual health and fitness portal. It would provide easily understood information that was measurable and could be used for accountability. Chris thought that it was a great idea and said that he would like to go ahead with working with us and that he would check into the website.

After our meeting we met some interesting people who worked at the Sate Capitol building. They told us the history of the building and about former President Clinton recently doing an interview for 60 Minutes in the Governor’s Reception Room. They also told us that the movie, “Stone Cold”, staring Brian Bosworth was also filmed at the State Capitol building. Most of the building was closed off for the filming of the movie.

6:00 p.m. CST – We departed the State Capitol building and went out for dinner.

7:00 p.m. CST – We packed up the trailer in preparation for an early departure in the morning.

11:30 p.m. CST – Went to bed.

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Pushed 63 miles from Stuttgart AR, to Little Rock, AR

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Kevin cranking on in the rain8 to10 AM – We packed and loaded the trailer to get ready to move on to our sponsor Baymont hotel in Little Rock, AR.

10:30 AM – Pushed from Stuttgart to Hummoke, AR 14 miles. It took approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach Hummoke.

Break 11:45 – Took a 5 to 10 minute break for Gatorade and water.

12 Noon – I pushed on to England, AR for another 14 miles. We arrived in England at around 1:15 PM. So I’ve pushed my wheelchair all the way from America to England. Ha!

Break 1:15 PM – Took a 15 minute break for an apple, granola bar, Gatorade and water. I need lots and lots of water.

1:30 PM – Pushed on for 34 miles into North Little Rock, AR. Half way through the push we took a short break for fluids. The heat and humidity were almost unbearable. When the humidity gets so high, your body’s natural cooling system, perspiration, can’t work efficiently. See, your body sweats in response to heat and the air dries it causing evaporative cooling. When it is too humid you get no evaporative cooling. To make a long story short – it’s miserable! You also have to be careful. If you are in the heat and suddenly stop sweating you might be nearing heat stroke so get in the shade, cut out excessive activity and drink some water.

*Note* – Dora called local Little Rock television station channel 7 contact “Angela” an hour before we arrived. Angela told Dora they would meet us out on the road when we got close to North Little Rock on Highway 165. When I passed the sign that said “Welcome to North Little Rock,” Dora called again about the television station meeting us. They said that they would be coming out in a white van with channel 7 logos on it. I pushed another 15 miles on into North Little Rock and noticed thunderstorms coming in from the North West. Andy had a flat tire on his bike just ½ mile before we reached Interstate 440. We pulled over at a gas station and Dora again called Angela at the TV station. Because of the lightning and thunderstorms rapidly approaching, and the fact that we were already well into North Little Rock, we decided to quit for the day. Dora called again to Angela at channel 7 to let her know that we would wait at the gas station for the camera crew. Angela told Dora that they were short staffed, and that it was doubtful if anyone would come out to meet us. The news teams get pretty busy when thunderstorms approach.  Angela said that she would try to meet up with us at a different time.

4 PM – We loaded up and drove to our sponsor hotel, Baymont. On the way we ran into rain where we had to pull off the road momentarily because it was impossible to see through the downpour.

5 – 6 PM – We arrived at our sponsor hotel, Baymont. We took a short meal break and then uploaded pictures and updated the log.

7 – 10 PM – Unloaded some office supplies and other things. We straightened up and organized the room to work more like an office. Dora bought a new Lexmark 3 in One printer, scanner and copier at Office Depot, since other one had been broken on the road.

11 PM – Went to bed.

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The day was spent running errands and meeting with the mayor of Stuttgart

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Kevin with Stuttgart Mayor7:00 a.m. CST – First thing in the morning, Dora went to Wal-Mart to exchange the printer.

10:00 a.m. CST – Since we had a little free time, we decided to get the oil changed and to wash the van and the trailer. Again, I had the privilege to meet an extraordinary citizen that overwhelmed me with their support of the Tour. After having a casual conversation with a woman who was also getting her oil changed, she gave the Tour a donation and told us that we had truly inspired her. I told her that I appreciate the gift, but that it was the support of individuals like her that made the Tour possible and gave me the encouragement I need to continue. I know she will spread the word and the Revolution will roll on and on!
1:30 p.m. CST – I met with Mayor Harry “Butch” Richenback of Stuttgart, AR. We left him with a plaque and a copy of my book. He gave us some great souvenirs from the city. As usual, I discussed all of the points from the Tour with him. It was a great meeting.

3:00 p.m. CST – We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening catching up on some errands and paperwork. Andy and I tried again to get a good email connection, but we could not secure one long enough to email anything. However, I was able to search for online articles about the Tour. I saved them to a file. Every time I read the articles about the Tour, I am so impressed at how well written they are. Everyone understands what I am trying to accomplish and their writing is very supportive of my mission. I only hope my book “Revolutions” about the tour is as well received. With my book I hope to keep the excitement about getting in shape going and continue to educate people on the importance of physical fitness, good nutrition and making wise life choices. Because really, in the grand scheme of things it’s a lot easier to turn away from that big piece of pie than it is to lose the weight you gain from poor eating habits. Of course you can have treats from time to time. What’s life without a little pecan pie or chocolate cake? You just can’t make those sorts of foods regular dietary choices. Plus, you must get active. Keep your heart healthy through proper nutrition and a good dose of rigorous exercise. Your heart is a muscle and it’s one you really need to keep strong!  If you’re out of shape start slow. Maybe a walk around the block. Before you know it you will be doing more, getting more fit and you work-outs will become more intense.

 

10 p.m. CST – After finally catching up on all of our work, we were able to go to bed.

 

Take care, 

 Kevin Saunders

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Pushed on towards Stuttgart, Arkansas

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Black asphalt is blistering in the sun8:45 a.m. CST – We drove back to Marianna, AR, where we stopped yesterday, to continue the push towards Stuttgart, AR.

9:00 a.m. CST – Averaging 12 mph, I was able to make it to Monroe, AR in about two hours. The pushing was hard. The temperature stayed near one hundred degrees and the asphalt was soaking in ever degree and giving it back.

11:00 a.m. CST – I took about a 5 minute break to rehydrate my body by drinking water and to replenish my electrolytes by drinking a sports drink. Its very important to stay hydrated when you work out. Always have water or a sports drink and be sure to drink before you feel thirsty. Even just a little dehydration can affect your performance.

12:15 p.m. CST – We arrived in Clarendon, AR after pushing for approximately 10 more miles after my break. In Clarendon, we took an hour to eat, drink, and rest.

1:15 p.m. CST – The next 45 minutes was spent pushing the 10 miles to Roe. There was a considerable amount of traffic on the highway, so I had to be careful and go extra slow. Unfortunately, there was swampland on each side of the highway with hardly any shoulder to wheel on.
2:00 p.m. CST – After taking a 5 minute break to get some liquids in my system, I pushed on towards Ulm, AR; approximately 7 miles away.

2:45 p.m. CST – We arrived in Ulm and took another five minute water and Gatorade break. It was so hot and humid; I had to be careful not to dehydrate myself. After the break, we started the last six miles into Stuttgart, AR.

3:15 p.m. CST – After an exhausting day, we arrived in Stuttgart, AR. We loaded up our equipment and drove back to the hotel.

4:30 p.m. CST – After working hard all day, all I wanted to do was rest and get some food. So we took about an hour and ate some dinner.

6:00 p.m. CST – We tried to do some work after dinner, but unfortunately, we kept having technical difficulties. The Internet still was not working, so Andy was unable to upload the today’s pictures. In addition to the Internet not working, we could not get our new scanner to work. We wanted to scan a newspaper article about the Tour. There has been so much publicity about the tour. Its great that the media has embraced this Revolutions tour. The media attention really helps spread the word about getting fit and living healthy.
11:30 p.m. CST – We went to bed.

 

Kevin Saunders is an in demand motivational speaker, wheelchair athlete and noted author.

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Continued Pushing Through Arkansas

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Kevin in ArkansasTotal miles pushed: 52

7 to 8 AM – We packed and checked out of the Baymont hotel. We left some flowers and a thank you card from us and the Health and Fitness Tour of America for the Baymont staff. They treated us with great hospitality and impeccable service.

9 AM – I resumed my push from West Memphis to Lehi, AR on highway 70 approximately 6 miles. From Lehi to Shearerville, AR it was 7 miles. At Shearerville we got on highway 79 South. I pushed on for 10 miles to Chatfield, AR. Andy was along riding the bike and taking pictures.

Break 11AM to Noon after pushing 23 miles. I had Gatorade and water and ate a little chicken and a baked potato.

12 Noon – I pushed on 6 miles to Hughes, AR and another 8 to Brickeyes, AR. From Brickeyes it was another 5 miles to Soudan, AR. This was a tough 19 miles because the wind was blowing pretty hard into my face. We decided to take a break before we finished our 8 mile push in Marianna where we met with the Mayor and the newspaper.

3 PM I resumed pushing the last 8 miles toward Marianna with the slight hills and intense wind in the face, it slowed my pushing down at times below 10mph. We arrived into Marianna just before 4 PM. Once in Marianna we met officer Kevin Evans who escorted us approximately 2 miles through the city limits of Marianna to Mayor Taylor’s office. I met with Mayor Taylor, and City Clerk Kendon Gray between 4 and 4:30 PM. I presented the Mayor with a plaque in recognition of his commitment to lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens of his community and his support of our efforts for the Kevin Saunders Health and Fitness Tour of America.
Several young girls from the community came by and brought their camera to take a picture with me since they had seen me on TV the day before in Memphis. Andy also took a picture of me with the young kids who were enthused about getting active in the Marianna area. It’s so very important that kids be active! With video games and two hundred channels on television many kids today spend all their time sitting down and get very little exercise. Childhood obesity is a real problem. Type 2 diabetes is being seen more and more in children where once it was mostly an adult condition. Fast food and no activity is leading too many children down a road to ill health. I’m glad these young girls are excited about staying in shape and I hope their enthusiasm spreads to their friends. The Revolutions tour is all about getting America fit one person, one community at a time. The more people I meet, the more I believe it can happen!

We had some laughs with the Mayor. He said he wanted arms like mine. I told him that if he worked out enough he could get some, and I asked him to join me on the tour. He said he’d think about it.
I also mentioned to Mayor Taylor that one of our tour sponsors: Imshapingup.com was providing free memberships to the city government so that they can log on and have access to easy to understand information about health and fitness. Staying educated about health and fitness is an important step towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Media present in Mariana: The Courier-Index: reporter Edie Sanford and General Manager Melinda Huff. They took pictures and were also doing a story about our Big Push across America and our purpose to inspire and motivate all Americans to get fit by providing resources and tools for cities like Marianna to create lasting health and fitness initiatives by providing clear and easily understandable information about fitness, nutrition, and many other aspects of good health and fitness for all citizens.

Note: I had another flat tire today, and my 2nd pair of gloves is almost worn out. Sometimes the equipment gives out but I never will!

5 PM – We loaded up the truck and trailer at the Mayor’s office and decided to drive on to Stuttgart, AR where we will spend the night.

6 PM – We arrived at our hotel and unloaded.

8 PM – We caught up the log and downloaded our pictures for the day so we could send them in to The Visibility Company so they could make the most recent updates to the website. However, we could not get a strong enough connection to the internet via our wireless internet card to send any of the updates to The Visibility Company.

11 PM – Went to bed.

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Met with Memphis City Council

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Kevin presents Joe Brown a plaque10:00 a.m. CST – The morning was spent running miscellaneous errands and getting ready to leave tomorrow.

2:30 p.m. CST – We departed the Baymont hotel and headed towards the Memphis City Hall. We arrived at City Hall just before our 3:30 p.m. meeting. However, after we arrived, we found out that the City Council meeting was running late so we had to wait a bit for the meeting to begin.

Several council members, including Chairman Joe Brown, apologized for the delay. Chairman Brown called me to the podium where I presented my plan for the Tour and challenged the City Council to work to start lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens. During the presentation, I covered all of the points for why I was doing this Tour. I told them that people could find out more information www.kevinsaunders.com.
I presented Chairman Brown with a plaque and he thanked me for my efforts on the Big Push. The citizens in attendance gave me a round of applause and Chairman Brown presented me with a proclamation, a key to the city, and a pair of cuff links on behalf of the council and the City of Memphis. He also presented Dora with a pendant with the city emblem on it.

I thanked the City Council for their time and great Southern hospitality and told them that I looked forward to coming back and presenting them with an award for making Memphis one of the healthiest cities in America.

6:30 p.m. CST – We stopped for a quick, healthy dinner downtown and then headed back to the hotel. Some people may be wondering how I can still eat healthy foods while on the road. It is not as difficult as you might think. It is all about making smart decisions and taking personal responsibility for your health. You’ve got to push away from the  junk foods and empty calories. If you must eat fast food be selective about what you choose and don’t make fast food your lifestyle. Healthy alternatives are out there and you owe it to yourself to find them!  Providing this knowledge is one of the goals I hope to achieve with this tour.

8:00 p.m. CST – Andy uploaded the pictures from today from his camera and resized them for email. We printed out the itinerary for the next day and caught up with the log.

10:00 p.m. CST – We did some pre-packing for the trip to Stuttgart, AR tomorrow. We wrapped it up around midnight and went to bed.

Kevin Saunders is a noted author, champion wheelchair athlete, and motivational speaker.

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Today we met with the media

Monday, July 27th, 2009
Meeting with the media

Meeting with the media

6:00 a.m. CST – We woke up and got ready to leave for a radio interview with WHBQ 560 AM. We arrived at the studio in time for my 7:20 a.m. interview with Eric and Eli. They were great interviewers because they kept the interview very upbeat. During this time, I was able to state the full purpose of our Tour as well as my personal story of my accident. I mentioned our website, www.kevinsaunders.com, so that people listening would be able to find out more about the Tour. I also mentioned that we were a non-profit foundation and that I was pushing across America to help motivate individuals to live healthier lifestyles. In addition to educating everyone, the money raised during the Tour will be donated to the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the YMCA of America. Eric and Eli asked how people could help. I again referred them to the website and said that we welcome any individual or organization who would like to be part of helping sponsor our grass roots effort to help shape up America one community at a time.

8:30 a.m. CST – Immediately after the radio interview we left for an interview on “Live at 9”, which airs on the local CBS affiliate, WREG Channel 3. We drove to the Peabody Center, which is where the interview was taking place. Alex Coleman and Marybeth Conley interviewed me. They conducted a fantastic live interview and I was able to get all of our points across in the interview. I left them with a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way. They were amazed at what I was doing and again asked what the viewers could do to help. I referred them to our website and pointed to my black shirt that had the website printed on it. They wished me well on the rest of my Big Push and on the 50-state tour. They asked me to come back and see the improvements Memphis had made after being named one of the fattest cities. I told them it would be an honor and privilege to return and that I was sure with them helping to motivate the viewers that they could become one of the healthiest cities in America.

After the “Live at 9” broadcast, another reporter for WREG Channel 3 pulled me aside. He conducted another interview with me for a program that aired later in the day. He also had his photographer take some footage of me pushing in my chair for the program.

11:00 a.m. CST – After the interviews we took a break for an early, healthy lunch at a local favorite restaurant in the Peabody Center and then returned to the hotel.

2:30 p.m. – We reattached the trailer to the Jeep and set out to meet some media for a short 1.5 mile push from the Airport Inn hotel to the Baymont. As we were leaving our hotel a reporter from the local Fox affiliate, WHBQ Channel 13, met us. They followed us to our starting point, where we met our police escort. I pushed the mile and a half very quickly averaging around 20mph the entire way. They were able to pull up along side me in their van and get some footage while I was pushing.

5:00 p.m. CST – We saw my story on CBS WREG Channel 3. They did an awesome story and covered all of our main points.

7:00 p.m. – While Dora and I were out at dinner, we met Todd and Regina Ainsworth. Todd told me that his brother was one of the top heart surgeons in the South and that he and his wife both work with the American Heart Association. He was sure that they would like to help us in our efforts in helping improve health and fitness for communities and people across America.

11:00 p.m. CST – Finally, it is time for bed. It may be hard for me to sleep tonight though. Memphis has been a wonderful city to visit. Everyone here has been so supportive of the Tour.

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Met with very enthusastic citizens and officials and pushed approximately 59 miles

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Kevin with Mayor Donald Parker of Kennet7:00 to 9:00 a.m. CST – We spent the morning packing and loading up the truck.

11:00 a.m. CST – Later in the morning, I met with Mayor Donald Parker of Kennett, MO at the Kennett Municipal Airport. I presented him with a plaque on behalf of the Health and Fitness Tour of America as well as an autographed copy of my book, There’s Always a Way. Mayor Parker is the perfect example of how Americans need to lead a more active life. He is 81 years-old and he looks great. Mayor Parker told us that he is not letting his age slow him down. He still flies a plane and tries to exercise regularly. And his energy does not stop there; he told us that he wanted to help with the Tour however he could. What a great example Mayor Parker sets for everyone. As Mayor Parker proves, anyone can achieve a healthy and active lifestyle, no matter what age we are. You just need to have good nutrition, lead an active lifestyle and stay educated about health and fitness. There’s new information all the time that can keep us strong, healthy, smart and fit so get involved and enjoy the fitness Revolution!

11:30 a.m. CST – I pushed towards Senath, MO during this time.

1:00 p.m. CST – When I arrived in Senath, I met with Mayor Bud Brooks and presented him with a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, and a plaque on behalf of the Tour. The community leaders and Mayor Brooks were very much in support of our efforts to help America get fit. The support of local communities and businesses, large or small, is what it will take to win the war against obesity.

2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST – I left Senath and pushed to the Arkansas state line.

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CST – We took a short break at the Arkansas state line. During the break, I ate an apple, some granola and drank Gatorade and water. Not only is it important to eat the right type of food to refuel my body, but it is also very important not to eat too much food. There is so much information in circulation now about what people should and should not do, that it is difficult to sift through it to find the correct information. Part of my goal is to provide individuals with the correct information, in an easily accessible way. I value education and love getting the proper information to the people. The less time spent trying to figure out how to become healthier, the more time there is to BE healthier!
4:30 p.m. CST – I left the state line and pushed to Leachville, AR.

5:15 p.m. CST – I continued to push until I reached Etowah, AR. Even though Etowah is a smaller community, their warm, enthusiastic welcome was huge! The energy I felt from the people cheering me on in the streets, gave me that extra rush I needed to finish the day. Everybody can get excited about health and nutrition, they just need someone to show them the way. After drinking some more Gatorade and water, I continued pushing.

8:00 p.m. CST – We concluded our day near Bondsville, AR. After loading all the equipment into the truck, we drove back to our hotel in Kennett.

9:30 p.m. CST – When we arrived in Kennett, we ate a quick meal and ran some errands. It was about midnight before we went to bed.

　

 

Kevin is a health and fitness advocate, noted author, paralympian and in-demand motivational and educational speaker. Learn more about Kevin at www.kevinsaunders.com

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64 miles grueling miles as I pushed from Advance, MO to Kennett, MO.

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

 

Kevin with trailer showing his many corporate sponsors

Kevin with trailer showing his many corporate sponsors

7:00 a.m. CST – Due to some technical glitches, we were unable to receive the itinerary for today until about 7:30 a.m.　 We had a few mechanical difficulties that slowed us down while packing to leave our Cape Girardeau hotel.　 Unfortunately, these events made us late for our meeting with Mayor Harness in Advance, MO.　 We missed the mayor, but the Mayor Pro Tem was there to meet with us.　 I presented a plaque on behalf of the Tour to the city of Advance and left them with a signed copy of my book, There’s Always a Way.

12:00 a.m. CST – We left Advance and headed for Dexter. Because we were running late, we had to drive to a little outside of Dexter to meet some media.　 A reporter from the Dexter Daily Statesman met me outside of Dexter for an interview.　 The radio station KDEX also met me out on the road for an interview.　 At the Dexter city limits, the city police were waiting to provide me with an escort to the mayor’s office.　

　　　　 We met and presented Mayor Joe Weber of Dexter, MO with a plaque and a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, on behalf of the Tour.　 We told him that our goal was to provide resources and tools for the communities like Dexter to help its citizens live a healthier life.　 Mayor Webster was very receptive to our message and was eager to have his city become a part of war against obesity.

　　　　 I decided to push the next 42 miles from Dexter to Kennett with only three short breaks for Gatorade and water. Keeping up the fluids is important! On one of our breaks, we met a woman, who had seen me on TV and was waiting for me to pass through.　 Her husband told her he had seen us on Highway 25 and that if she waited around, she’d get to meet us. She was a great lady and was very inspired with our Tour. She came up, talked with us, and gave us some water and a donation.　That is just what the Revolution is all about! Regular every day people that get caught up in the excitement and fun of living healthy and getting in shape. There were also some local watermelon growers across the road who had a 350-acre patch who gave us a huge watermelon and a cantaloupe.　 They were excited about getting to meet us and were supportive of our mission. The enthusiasm these individuals showed gave me some extra adrenaline and got me pumped up for the final push into Kennett, MO and believe me when its this hot you need all the motivation you can get!

5:30 p.m. CST – Upon arrival in Kennett we immediately loaded up and headed back to Advance.　 It took approximately 1hr for the return drive.　 On the drive back to Advance I lay in the back, ate an apple and a granola bar, and drank water and Gatorade for energy.　

　　　　 When we reached Advance, Andy and I got out and started pushing.　 It took almost two hours to cover 22 miles.　 By the time I was through, I was exhausted and my shoulders and neck were becoming strained and sunburned.　　　　　　

　　　　 After making up the mileage missed from this morning, we packed everything up and drove 40 minutes back to our hotel in Kennett.　 After a long hot day a little rest and air conditioning will be nice.

 

  

Kevin Saunders is a champion wheelchair athlete and motivational speaker, noted author, educational speaker, church speaker, sports speaker, inspirational speaker, Paralympic athlete, Health and Fitness authority and much more. Learn more at www.kevinsaunders.com

 

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Even though the Heat Index was 110 and the temperature was 98 degrees, I was able to push 57 miles

Monday, July 20th, 2009
Kevin pushing his way to Cap Girardeau IlTotal miles pushed: 57
Weather Heat Index: 110, Temperature 98 degrees. With the temperature that high, I continually pushed the fluids.

9:30 A.M. Pushed from the junction of highway 3 and highway 146 over the Mississippi River via the new bridge in Girardeau, MO. It was 4 miles from the junction to the MO side of the bridge. We met up with a Cape Girardeau police escort on the bridge at the MO state line.
I pushed another half mile to meet with Mayor Kundtson and the community leaders in Cape Girardeau, MO.
The community really came out to support our tour. Everyone on hand really embraced our message of trying to get all community members involved in creating a healthier community for all citizens in the Cape Girardeau area. Tracy Glen, the public relations officer for the City of Cape Girardeau did a great job in organizing the event. Several health professionals from Cape Girardeau were on hand, including: Dr. Bill Logan from the fitness facility at Southeast Missouri Hospital, Sandy Duncan from the St. Francis Health Center, and Maryann “Miki” Gudermuth with the Southeast Missouri Alliance for Disability Independence Inc.

Media Present: Wendy Ray reporter with KFVS a CBS affiliate in Cape Girardeau. Also on hand were Hunter Johnston from KRCU 90.9 FM a NPR affiliate, David Bloom from the Cash Book Journal Weekender, and Toby Carrig for a newspaper interview.

Mayor Kundtson presented me with a Proclamation declaring July 13, 2004 as Kevin Saunders’ Day in the City of Cape Girardeau. I presented Mayor Girardeau and the City of Cape Girardeau with a sculpture and challenged him to help make the city a healthier place for all citizens by the time I return on the 50 state tour.

Immediately after the meeting with the Mayor and community leaders I pushed off, with the help of police escort, through the city. I pushed through the hottest temperatures of the day, but I made sure to keep my intake of water and Gatorade high.

It took a total of 16 miles to reach the city limits of Cape Girardeau.

12:30 – 1:30 PM- I took a break from pushing for food and hydration.

I pushed from Cape Girardeau to Delta, MO approximately 18 miles. Then I pushed on for another 19 miles from Delta to just past Advance, MO.

I finished my push at 4:00 PM in Advance, MO. We loaded up and returned to the hotel in Cape Girardeau.

4:45 PM- Media interview with local newspaper reporter Toby Carring of The Southeast Missourian.

 

  

Kevin Saunders is a champion wheelchair athlete and motivational speaker, noted author, educational speaker, church speaker, sports speaker, inspirational speaker, Paralympic athlete, Health and Fitness authority and much more. Learn more at www.kevinsaunders.com

 

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Pushed 52 miles from Chester, IL to McCLure, IL

Friday, July 17th, 2009
Kevin at the home of Popeye10:00 a.m. CST – This morning I met with Charlie Bargman, the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Chester, in front of the large bronze statue of Popeye.　 Elzie C. Segar, a resident of Chester, created Popeye’s character in 1929.　 We were told that Elzie was a small man who worked on the riverboats on the Mississippi River.　 Local legend has it that even though Elzie was small in stature, he never lost a fight. I like Popeye. He always looked out for the little guy and make sure he ate his spinach! Ha! I guess it is a little funny but it’s true. Eat right, stay fit and healthy and you can defeat the big old Brutus we call obesity. By staying healthy and fit you become a champion for healthy living and an example to the community. Are you, just one person, important? Of course you are! Your example will inspire others to live healthier and be more fit. Each individual making the decision to take responsibility for their own fitness will make this revolution happen!　 I presented Mr. Bargman with a plaque on behalf of their commitment to health and fitness for all of the citizens of their community.　
10:30 a.m. CST – Pushing around 12 mph, I wheeled the 28 miles to Grand Tower, IL.　

1:45 p.m. CST – I took a break by the Mississippi River in Grand Tower, IL.　 We had a little lunch and got some pictures pushing by the river.　 We visited with two men from a research center in nearby Carbondale, IL.

2:15 p.m. CST – Averaging about 12 mph, I was able to wheel 24 miles to McClure, IL.　 For part of the trip, Andy road along side of me on the bike and took pictures.　 It was a very hot and humid day, but the roads were great for pushing.　 The scenery made some wonderful pictures.　
4:30 p.m. CST – We left McClure, IL and head for Cape Girardeau, MO to check in at our hotel.　 When we arrived at the hotel, we ate and took a short break.

6:00 p.m. CST – Andy drove to the Mississippi Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River to connect Illinois and Missouri.　 He wanted to check out tomorrow’s route and find some good spots to take pictures.

Take Care,

Kevin

 



 

Kevin Saunders appears as an educational speaker, motivational coach, church speaker, safety speaker, business speaker, wheelchair speaker, health and fitness speaker, school speaker, Paralympian, and noted author.

 

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Spent the day resting and reflecting

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
The long road ahead...

The long road ahead...

8:00 a.m. CST – Today, I had a chance to reflect on the past 3 weeks and 5 days. Because the Tour de France is in full swing right now, I wanted to write about that race and mention the similarities it has to what I’m doing. With Lance Armstrong going for yet another record breaking win of the most grueling race in the world of bicycling, he is not only trying to beat the odds, he is also sending a message to the world that you can win against cancer.  With the Tour de France lasting 3 weeks through grueling terrain and a fast pace, it takes a very savvy and well-prepared athlete to not only finish the event, but also an incredible one like Lance Armstrong to win it all.

     Now, coming into the 4th week of my push across America, I am also sending an important message.  My message explains that if communities begin health initiatives, and if a majority of the citizens use these initiatives to maintain a healthier lifestyle, then we can win the war on obesity. Since the beginning of the Tour, over half of the people we have seen are overweight or obese. The problem of obesity is real, but it is not unbeatable.

     When I was injured in the grain elevator explosion and left paralyzed from the chest down and confined to wheelchair for life, I had to use proper exercise and nutrition and apply principals of health and fitness to get my active lifestyle back. What I observe now, is a great number of people who are letting their bodies become overweight and obese because they do not have anything forcing them to be healthier and more active.  What they do not realize is that some day in their future they will suffer due to their poor health habits, from injuries like bad knee’s from carrying so much weight to health-related diseases like diabetes, heart diseases etc.

     I also want to mention  the four points I talked about with the two high schools in St. Louis and how they relate to Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France, and especially how they relate to our Health and Fitness Tour of America.
The points were:
1)         To NEVER give up.
2)         It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond to what happens that is important.
3)         The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes.
4)         Greatness is all around you.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do. 

     Applying these four points is working for Lance and the other athletes in the Tour de France.  The points are also working in Armstrong’s personal fight against cancer.  I am using these same principles in the Health and Fitness Tour of America.
1)         To never give up.
a.         I’m not going to give up until I’ve made it all the way through  and reached out to communities all across America.  I’m pushing through all 13 states paralyzed from the chest down to inspire and motivate and to demonstrate that health and fitness is for everyone. 
2)         It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond to what happens that is important.
a.         In the case of being overweight and out of shape, it is not over until you are dead.  As long as people get the information about health and fitness and start applying it, they can get back to leading healthy, full, and enjoyable lives.
3)         The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes.
a.         Right now, we’re in the process of working with the communities across America to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for
 all Americans.  These initiatives can help people learn from past errors and use that knowledge to start a new lifestyle.
4)         Greatness is all around you.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do.    
a.         By providing all communities with information from the top fitness trainers and registered dieticians and nutritionists, we are providing them with access to the best information they can get.  In addition, we are making it easy to understand and apply. 
b.         By the community embracing health and fitness, people can get the support of others in their community until it takes over like a revolution. 
c.         By doing these things they can win the war against obesity.  

 

“Side Notes” by Andrew Guzik
I have been riding a bicycle alongside Kevin and taking pictures throughout the Tour.  While there may be some similarities between what Kevin is doing in a racing wheelchair and what the cyclists are doing in the Tour de France, there are also a great deal of differences.  Both tours take a great deal of physical strength and determination, but the physical activities are vastly different.  I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes in Kevin’s racing chair today and I can tell you that it is nothing like riding a bike. If I had to choose a sport to compare it to, it would not be cycling.  The sport of rowing is a more accurate comparison.  It takes a tremendous deal of coordination to be able to make your hands hit the push rims of the wheels exactly on time.  If you lack this coordination and miss the rim, you run the risk of getting your hand caught up in the wheel of the chair and pulling your arm under. Although pushing the racing chair is more like rowing than it is like cycling, it is not exactly like rowing either.  The posture is a great deal different than it is in rowing.  In rowing, you are able to sit up and use the leverage to push through the water.  In the racing chair you must lean forward at all times to avoid tipping the chair backwards.  This puts a great deal of stress on your neck and back.  Even a slight stretch backwards will tip the chair, something I learned the hard way.  It takes a bit of practice just to get the chair to move, to turn, and to avoid falling out.  I think I’ll stick to the bike for the remainder of the Tour.
*Note from Kevin:  I’ve gone through one pair of racing gloves and two tires pushing from the Detroit/Canadian border to the Southern IL/Missouri border.

 2:00 p.m. CST – For the rest of the afternoon, I did some maintenance work on the racing chair and washed the truck and trailer. We also worked on thank you letters to the people we have met along the way.

 

 

Take Care,

Kevin

 

Kevin Saunders appears as an educational speaker, motivational coach, church speaker, safety speaker, business speaker, wheelchair speaker, health and fitness speaker, school speaker, Paralympian, and noted author.

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I pushed 42 more miles today between Waterloo, IL and Chester, IL

Monday, July 13th, 2009

 

Kevin ovecomes adversity through the hills.

Kevin ovecomes adversity through the hills.

It took me approximately 2.5 hours to push from Waterloo to Baldwin. 

1:30 to 2:00 p.m. CST – There were many miles to cover and I was anxious to continue, so I only took a short break.  I made sure to replenish my body by drinking plenty of water and Gatorade and by eating some food.  Even when I am not on tour, I usually eat six well-balanced meals a day.  It is important to do this to keep up my metabolism.  Of course, these are not the large portions most people typically eat. Eating five to six small meals during the day will keep your metabolism and energy levels up, stave off hunger, and help you avoid eating too much in any one meal.  My plans for incorporating healthy initiatives in every city,includes provide individuals with nutrition information similar to what I provided above.  Armed with  motivation, clear goals, and accurate, easily understood information, anyone can achieve a healthier lifestyle. As I pointed out, I only took a short break today so I could really make some mileage. I built up momentum and really kept it going. Any major undertaking, be it a trip across country, a personal diet, exercise plan, or an initiative to end childhood obesity – thrives on momentum. The initial effort gives way to small wins, which add up to big results over time. I will make it through this journey one revolution of my wheels at a time and we will defeat the obesity epidemic one person, one community at a time until the momentum of America’s health & fitness revolution can’t be stopped! My book, Revolutions, will chronicle this journey in more detail and hopefully continue to inspire people to get fit.

2:00 p.m. CST – I continued on to Chester, approximately 18 miles.  The road was extremely hilly and full of curves. It took me over two hours to reach Chester.  But each hill and each curve was an obstacle I overcame.  The more adversity I overcome, the more motivation and inspiration I encourage in every individual.  Hills and heat, rain and pain, nothing will hold me back from completing my journey and I encourage you not to let anything hold you back from defeating your challenges and meeting your health and fitness goals.

 

Take Care,

Kevin,

 

 

Kevin Saunders appears as an educational speaker, motivational coach, business speaker, wheelchair speaker, health and fitness speaker, school speaker, Paralympian, and noted author.

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Began pushing again in the heat and met with some city officials.

Friday, July 10th, 2009
Kevin_holding_his_own_in_freeway_traffic

I pushed approximately 24 miles total from Columbia, IL to just past Waterloo, IL. The sun pounded on me from above and the pavement baked me from below.
A police escort from the Columbia, IL police department escorted me to their jurisdiction line where the Waterloo Police took over and escorted me to the Waterloo city hall to meet the city leaders.
I met with Mayor Terry Kipping of Waterloo at city hall. Shawn Kennedy the city collector was also at the meeting. The Chief of Police, Joseph “Joe” Brauer was also present. The media present included Danny Kelley reporter from the Republic-Times the Herald and the Shopper from Waterloo, IL. Monroe County Independent Newspaper editor and reporter Ed Wienhoff was also there.

It was a hot and humid day of pushing. I was very hot and soaking with sweat when I showed up to city hall in Waterloo. It was in the 90’s and one of the most humid days this year. I’ll be facing incredible heat, pounding rain, dangerous traffic, and all sorts of unforeseen obstacles on this trip. Even small differences in the terrain, like a five mile uphill haul – makes an enormous difference in effort to a guy in a wheelchair. Whatever happens I’m ready to overcome any adversity I might face. I’ll experience blisters, sunburn, sore muscles and more and it’s all worth it if I can inspire more Americans to get healthy and fit. The fatigue and stress I feel from my effort is comparable in a way to the stresses and fatigue too many Americans get from living unhealthy lifestyles. My trip will take a toll on me physically. The unhealthy choices many Americans make take a huge toll on their lives and when combined it takes a toll on American fitness and health as a whole. It leads to higher healthcare costs, lower productivity at work and general unhappiness and stress at a personal level. I encourage and hope to inspire all Americans to find healthy alternatives to greasy, expensive, fast food and learn to enjoy the benefits in life exercise has to offer. The people I meet on this Revolutions tour give me hope. They are interested in what I am doing and while maybe unsure of how to get started are ready to live healthier lives. I’m going to do all I can to help them every step of the way and with every revolution of my wheels.

Never Give Up!

Kevin

 

Kevin Saunders appears as an educational speaker, motivational coach, church speaker, safety speaker, business speaker, wheelchair speaker, health and fitness speaker, school speaker, Paralympian, and noted author.

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Today was declared Kevin Saunders day by Mayor Slay of St. Louis!

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
 July_07_2004_displaying_proclamation_that_it_is_officially_Kevin_Saunders_day

9:00 a.m. CST – My day began with an interview at the CCIN studio for the “Hooked on Health St. Louis” show.  I was very excited that I had the opportunity to be a part of this show.  St. Louis is working hard to become healthier and I am happy to help in any way I can.
 
 12:30 p.m. CST – Our next stop was at the historic St. Louis Arch.  We met with Rollin Stanley, a representative from the Mayor Slay’s office.  I received a proclamation from the mayor showing St. Louis’s support of the Tour.  Because of their commitment to health and fitness initiatives like “Get Hooked on Health St. Louis”, I presented the city with a sculpture.  I also challenged them to keep improving their efforts by getting even more community members involved in making their community a healthier place to live.
     After the meeting, we had a chance to visit with one of the photojournalists covering the event.  During our conversation, he talked about the great sporting events he covered over the last 17 years and the great athletes he met. Because of his experience, what he said next really meant a lot to me.  He said he really admired what we were doing for the people and communities of America to help them live healthier lifestyles.  Without help from people like this photojournalist, the Tour would not be as successful as it is.
5:00 p.m. CST – Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Cincinnati Reds and I was being introduced before the game.  (The Cardinals won their seventh game in a row; I like to think I added a little inspiration!).  We arrived at the ball field around 6:00 p.m. and we met Tony and his family at the stadium.  Tony introduced me to Steve Sacks and his family.  Steve Sacks set up the pre-game announcement with Marty Hendin, the Vice President of Community Relations for the St. Louis Cardinals.  The announcer introduced me and explained my Tour to motivate and inspire all Americans to get fit.   The announcement ended by encouraging them all to make their community a healthier place to live.  When he was finished, I tipped my hat to the crowd.  They even had me up on the big screen!  The fans were great and they gave me a big round of applause.  After thanking the crowd, I headed up to our seat to watch the game.  On the way, I met a couple of the players.  I told the players to play so hard that the Reds would doubt their ability to beat them and encouraged them to never give up. That really is the key to life, Never Give Up! So often when things get hard we quit trying, quit working, quit everything and just plain give up. I never would have made it as a champion wheelchair athlete, motivational coach, inspirational speaker and author if I gave up. To be truthful, life isn’t easier when you give up. It just gets harder. When we give up we don’t succeed at anything. Without success each day becomes harder than the one before it. If we just put forth the effort, if we decide “no more losing! I will never give up, I will work hard until I win!” then life will get better and better. We will come to expect to win and that attitude is what  makes us winners in health, in our jobs, in all aspects of our lives. So never give up, there’s always a way!
 

All my best,

Kevin Saunders

 

Kevin Saunders appears as an educational speaker, motivational coach, church speaker, safety speaker, business speaker, wheelchair speaker, health and fitness speaker, school speaker, Paralympian, and noted author.

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Today I backtracked to catch up on my miles

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
 Kevin_pushes_through_the_hill_country_towards_Austin_TX I pushed 45 miles at an average of just over 10 mph. Tough going but when the going gets tough you just put your head down and keep on pushing!  My arms and lungs are getting used to the new strain I’m putting on them. I’m starting to feel strength and an energy level I haven’t felt in years. I pushed down old Route 66.  You might remember or have heard of the old tv show “Route 66”. I remember the jingle “You’ll get your kicks, – on Route 66”. I hope my Revolutions tour and the upcoming book will get people to kick their old bad habits of poor eating and inactivity and join the revolution to achieve fitness! We can do it! The people on the highways showed their support by honking and cheering me on.  It really lets me know that people are starting to hear the message and understand what I am doing to inspire and motivate everyone to get fit. Fitness is a personal thing. Each individual has to decide for themselves to get in shape and lead a healthier life. I hope that people can look at what I am doing then find the champion within to push forward and defeat their own imagined limitations. Mostly the things that limit us are our own fears. If we can just find the willpower to overcome fear and just try, more often then not we will overcome and succeed. The people that cheer me on and those I get to speak to on the Revolutions tour show me that people do want to live better, healthier lives. I see hope in their eyes and they are ready to make the commitment, they just need someone to show them the way. So I’m on the road, hoping to motivate, educate, and inspire, turning America on to fitness one revolution of the wheel at a time.

 Your partner in fitness,

Kevin

Kevin appears as a motivational speaker, educational speaker, sports speaker, wheelchair athlete, noted author, church speaker, inspirational speaker, business speaker, safety speaker and more. 

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Doing media and settling in.

Monday, July 6th, 2009
 kevin_next_to_van_on_the_freeway5:47 a.m. CST – This morning I had and interview with “Today in St. Louis” on KSDK NBC Channel 5. (www.ksdk.com) We discussed the basic points of the Tour, including how I’m pushing across America paralyzed from the chest down to inspire and motivate the American people to get fit and meet with city and community leaders to provide tools and resources to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens.  I explained the Tour was a non-profit foundation and that people could find out more by going to our website, www.healthandfitnesstour.com.  And as always, I welcomed any support from companies or individuals who wanted to help support our efforts and help us continue to bring our grass roots initiative to communities across America.Morning and early afternoon – After the interview, we spent the first part of the day unpacking and preparing for all the events we had lined up this week.  It is going to be a long week, but I am ready!  St. Louis is very supportive of the Tour and everyone wants to be involved. 

3:30 p.m. CST – We left the hotel and headed for Tony’s house.  Tony works for The Visibility Company and he helped plan most of the events this week in St. Louis.  Before dinner, we talked a little business.  Tony went through the week’s scheduled events to make everyone was up-to-date.  It was soon time for dinner, or maybe I should say it was time for the party.  Tony’s family, the three of us, and Brian (the head designer for one of our sponsors www.ImShapingUp.com) were all there. I really enjoyed sitting down for a family-style meal.  Being on the road 24/7 makes it hard to do that.  It was very thoughtful of Tony and his family to invite us.  Unfortunately, a bad thunderstorm came through the area around 9 p.m. and ended the party.  It knocked the power out of a large part of the city including Tony’s home.  We stayed a few hours later than we expected to at Tony’s house.  By the time, we were able to return to Baymont, it was late in the evening.  We drove back in the darkness past blown over tree limbs and power lines. Tony’s house was without power for several days.

     The whole situation made me think of how ironical people are.  Almost everyday individuals face emergency like the one the storm presented.  They do whatever it takes to overcome the crisis.  However, an emergency like the nation’s obesity crisis, causes damages everyday and there are no signs of it slowing down. Why are they not approaching this situation the same way?  I felt a renewed sense of determination for my mission.  I MUST do whatever it takes to help America overcome the obesity crisis.  Every city I visit and every person I talk to is a step in the right direction. 

 Your friend,

Kevin

 Kevin appears as a motivational speaker, educational speaker, sports speaker, wheelchair athlete, noted author, church speaker, inspirational speaker, business speaker, safety speaker and more.

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