Random – Operation Jack

I'm Gonna (Try To) Be Mr. Mom

October 21, 2013 by operationjack 1 Comment

I’m just posting here so that there’s a public record. I’m concerned for my safety and I figure that if something happens to me and nobody ever sees or hears from me again, the police will come look at my blog and know who to investigate:

My kids.

My wife is going out of town — heck, she’s going out of time zone — for a few days this week. She’s going to visit her sister and I’m watching the kids. All three of them. All three of them. There’s three of them. They’re gonna kill me.

I’m happy for Tiff. This is going to be a good trip for her and her sister and there’s three of these little people running around my house. I know that normally, taking care of the kids is not a big deal and it’s just something that dads do. But as you know if you’ve ever been here before, I have a severely autistic son named Jack (quick plug: Operation Jack), and he’s got a heck of a routine. I have four typed pages on the refrigerator on the step-by-steps for him. I have huge respect for the job Tiff does with Jack every day — she has it down to a science and does an amazing job. I’m really going to have huge respect for her after going through about four days of this routine.

Then there’s the other two kids. To say I’m intimidated by this is an understatement. I know, it sounds stupid. A dad should be able to take care of his three kids, especially if he’s been a dad for 12 years. Really, it’s just Jack. With everything he’s been through over the past year, he’s really become dependent on Tiff and they have his incredibly detailed daily routine down pat. We both do a lot of things to keep our family going and she definitely handles taking care of Jack.

It will be pretty challenging for me and I’m nervous about this and even though she hasn’t even left yet, I can’t wait for her to get back. It will be nice, though, to spend more time than I normally do with Jack. Ben and Ava will be fine. We’ll all (probably) survive. Well, maybe.

Operation Jack Stuff

OK, I haven’t mentioned this for a while, but I’m trying to recruit people to run races next year and pick charities for me to give money to.

Elevator pitch: If you raise money for an autism-related charity (your choice!) equal to the cost of your race entry, I’ll cover your race entry. If you’d rather just donate money to an autism-related charity equal to the cost of your race entry, I’ll cover your race entry. I will cover your choice of a race entry or a donation to charity and either way, there’s no cost to you. And I’m going to throw in a custom Operation Jack shirt and medal as a bonus. This is my way of getting people involved and letting you pick what charities the Operation Jack Autism Foundation will donate to. Click here for the details. No risk, no cost, help me fill up my list!

Operation Jack Marathon Stuff

We’re going to run a discount code this Wednesday through Sunday. Come back here or check out the Operation Jack Marathon Facebook page for the discount code!

Ahh, I love it when Jack is happy ... — Ahh, I love it when Jack is happy and we can take a picture …

Ok, that’s all I have for today … if I have time to write a blog tonight, I have some rad pics from a trip to an amusement park on Saturday. Have a great Monday![subscribe2]

Three Things Thursday: GREAT NEWS FOR JACK!!!

September 26, 2013 by operationjack 1 Comment

Three things Thursday. I’m actually writing this on Wednesday night and I’m super crazy tired, so this one’s gonna be quick. I bet I can write it in less than 15 minutes. Annnnnnd, here we go!

1. MEDICAID FOR JACK!!!!!

Yesterday we got confirmation that Jack was accepted for Medicaid. If you don’t know who Jack is, you probably don’t know what Operation Jack is. Click here … you can see the whole purpose for this site. There’s definitely a purpose!

Anyways, this is huge because it will cover things that our health insurance doesn’t cover. Right now, our plan doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which is Jack’s autism in this case, so he doesn’t get the ABA therapy he needs. But now that we have Medicaid, I guess I should say that he didn’t get the ABA that he needs? This will be huge for him. This is a big part of why we moved to Pennsylvania. Really excited about this. It turned a long, draining day into a great, great day when I got that text from my wife Tiffany last night, that’s for sure!

2. Let me buy you a marathon entry into the race of your choice!

Check out this plan I have going on for next year. I’m try to get people to raise $100 for the autism-related charity of their choice, so I’m covering race entries up to $100 if you raise $100. $125 for $125 and $150 for $150. I’m also sending those of you who participate an Operation Jack shirt and medal to supplement what you get in the race we pay for. So, yes, basically, you can run a race for free if you either raise a minimal amount money or make a donation that’s equal to what your race entry would have cost. That’s a winning situation, right? I have about a half-dozen of you already slotted for weekends next year. I know I keep promising that I’m going to get a page up with that calendar. I really am. I really, really am. I’ve just been swamped like never before in multiple areas of my life the past week. I’m going to be under control by the end of this weekend, though.

3. Operation Jack Marathon: 3 months left until race day!

I’m ordering medals today and I’m super excited — they’re going to be 4″ in the shape of dog tags, just like they were in 2011. I am so excited, I want to do a back flip! But I’m physically in capable of doing a back flip so I think I’ll just smile instead. If you’re in California, or if you’re not in California, go to http://www.operationjack.org/marathon and check it out. We have satellite runs so you can support the cause virtually if you’re not in the area. The money we raise goes right back out to autism charities all over the country. See item #2 … my goal is to encourage people to get active and use that positive energy to make a difference in the world by fighting autism. So far, Operation Jack and the Operation Jack Marathon have grossed more than $185,000. Keep it going!

This was the 2011 medal, placed next to my Boston medal from that year for size comparison.

This is the design for the medal for this year.

OK, that took 15:10 to write. I was close on the 15-minute guess. Time for some ice cream. Oh wait, my wife just now told me I didn’t eat my vegetables. Time for some vegetables. And then some ice cream. Have a great Thursday! Did you eat your vegetables? Can I buy a race entry for you next year? Catch you later![subscribe2]

Three Things Friday: Can I Pay For Your Marathon Entry?

September 20, 2013 by operationjack Leave a Comment

Three Things Friday … the whole Three Things Thursday rolls off the tongue easier, but it’s not Thursday. So there’s that. Three quick things and then I’ll send you on your weekend (as if you’re waiting on me for that … but anyways) …

1. I started Operation Jack by running 61 marathons in 52 weeks in 2010. I can’t do that again (well I could, but it would require a corporate sponsorship I’m not going to get). But I still want to get people to run for the cause. So I have what I think is the easiest way to get you to do that: Raise $100 (yes, that’s one-hundred, that’s all) and I’ll cover a marathon entry for you that costs up to $100. Raise $125 for an entry up to $125 or $150 up to $150. The money you raise will go to the autism-related charity of your choice. Basically, I like to raise money to give it out and I want to use my 2014 budget to spread it around all over the place to the charities you pick. Oh, and I’m going to send you an Operation Jack shirt and medal to supplement what you get at your race.

It’s pretty easy, risk-free and it is as much of a no-brainer as it sounds. You could just “raise” the money with your own donation, which would basically be the same cost as your race entry anyways. Take a look at the details. If you’re interested, email me at sam@operationjack.org!

2. I haven’t talked about it much and I’ll probably write up a post very soon. But a lot of you know that we moved out here to Pennsylvania for a better school situation for Jack and he finally started school on September 3. Well three weeks in and it’s going very well. The school is great, the staff is great and Jack’s doing well. I’ve met his teacher and the assistant who’s dedicated to him and so far it confirms everything I thought about why we moved here.

3. Kansas City over the Eagles last night … one bad thing about the East Coast is weeknight football is super, super late now. But it’s gonna be a lot of fun being a Chiefs fan at work in Philly today!

That’s all … that’s three … have a good weekend![subscribe2]

Apparently, I'm For Sale

July 30, 2013 by operationjack Leave a Comment

If you’ve never been here before, you have to click here to see what Operation Jack is. In a nutshell, I’m a typical guy, father of 3, my middle child (he’s 9-1/2) is severely autistic and I wanted to find a way to make the world a better place in his honor. So in 2010, I ran 61 full marathons to raise money, plus I created the Operation Jack Marathon that year, which will have it’s fourth-annual running on December 26.

Operation Jack and the Operation Jack Marathon have grossed about $180,000, and while I’m pretty confident my best charity days are behind me, I’m still kind of clinging to this belief that I have the ability to make something happen.

If a blog falls in the woods and only three people read it, does it make a sound? We’ll see. [Read more…]

Three Things Thursday: I Have My Life Back!

July 25, 2013 by operationjack 1 Comment

Haven’t blogged in a while … been busy selling a house and buying a house and all that kind of fun stuff. But I’m going to get back into it. Charity work is what I love to do and this is my outlet.

Three preliminary things:

1. This is what Operation Jack is, why I even have a site. Hint: It has to do with autism, which I hate, because it sucks and it ruined my kid. Yes, I said it. It’s true. I don’t accept it.
2. OPERATION JACK MARATHON. <— check it out. It’s for a great cause and it has my son’s name on it! I love it!
3. I don’t really have a third thing. But I had to say I did. It goes with the them and the alliteration and all that jazz.

1. I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!

I moved away from my family on March 15, because we relocated to Pennsylvania to get better services for our son Jack, my 9 1/2-year-old who is severely autistic. When we decided on Philly, I started looking for jobs and found one (the first night I started looking!) so I had to hit the road. I lived with one of my best friends and his family, but that’s not my family and I really missed my family.

Well, I bought a house that my wife had never seen and after going through escrow and settlement and moving and painting and all that kind of “fun” stuff, they arrived in Philly on a flight from LA at 7:01 p.m. on July 14. You KNOW I was counting down to that! Now I have the chaos that keeps me sane again. Jack’s meltdowns, Ben and Ava fighting, Tiff nagging me … it’s life as I know it. I truly feel that things are pretty challenging for us with Jack’s problems, but it’s my life and I accept it and I’m glad to have it back.

Jack at the park. Just kidding, that's our back yard. I have to push-mow that beast. — Jack at the park. Just kidding, that’s our back yard. I have to push-mow that beast.

2. I’M GOING TO TRY THIS “RUNNING” THING AGAIN

I enjoy running for a variety of reasons — partially the quiet time it gives me in the morning and also a way to compete with myself. And of course, it’s been a great way for me to fight autism (1 Peter 4:10). I’ve let life get in the way, and that’s fine, because I need to have priorities. But I like running the Boston Marathon every year. I really enjoy the course and the event. I’ve run it the past six years and I’m hoping to make it seven. But I’m not in shape and I don’t have a lot of time. I know my body pretty well — I’ve run 105 marathons so I’m getting the hang of it — and I know I have my work really cut out for me. I have a race I’m eyeing on September 8. If I can get in BQ shape by then (I need to run a sub-3:10), I’ll never fall out of shape by then. Well, that’s not true. But I’ll be pretty happy.

3. CHECK OUT THE OPERATION JACK MARATHON!

The Operation Jack Marathon and satellite runs are back for the fourth year. It’s a great event in the Los Angeles area the day after Christmas, plus we have events all over the country on December 28. The main race in California is put on to benefit Train 4 Autism and the satellite runs benefit local charities. We have events in Portland (Oregon and Maine), Kansas City, Alabama … shoot, I don’t know all the spots. I’m battling some kind of bug right now and I can’t hardly think. But if you want to do something to benefit a local autism charity in your area, EMAIL ME and let me know. I’ll give you ideas and support you in your efforts. Your participants will get shirts, medals, Starbucks and a feeling that they’ve done something good to help. And it’s pretty affordable. Drop me a line and we’ll figure something out.

OK, that’s it. 1, 2, 3. That’s all. Wait, it’s Thursday, right?