Student makes great Strides for Strength

   Grass roots movements can start just about anywhere, even on a football field. That’s how it was with Strides for Strength.

   On the afternoon of 9/11 Keaston White stepped out for practice on the Collins Hill football field and left that field as a quadriplegic. In 2003 White learned of a doctor in St. Louis who specialized in his type of injury. Even with insurance, costs were prohibitive. So White’s teachers and nurse enlisted the help of White’s friend and classmate, Rob Montepare, who was then age 16, to brainstorm some ideas. “Just sitting in class with Keaston and seeing him do things that are difficult enough if you’re normal, much less paralyzed was tremendous inspiration,” said Montepare, who organized a benefit road race for his friend.

   But a race involves more than just runners paying an entry fee. Fliers, T-shirts, road chalk, numbers and safety pins can add up to big bucks.

   Here’s where Montepare’s pal Chip Houston stepped in. Houston, a local pop/rock artist, performed a concert at Collins Hill and raised $2500 to get them started. ( www.chiphouston.com )

   That first race yielded $13,000, enough to get White to St. Louis, where the doctor discovered movement in his lower extremities, giving him more hope than ever. White, a sophomore at Emory, is now studying biology and hoping someday to advance medical treatment for paralysis.

   Montepare didn’t stop with White’s success. His Strides for Strength is now a 501© 3 not-for-profit organization to help young people who’ve suffered a serious accident or traumatic illness. By involving the community in races, banquets and silent auctions the sophomore business major at Perimeter College has raised over a half million dollars for youth in medical need. He even contracted Jeff Foxworthy for a concert to benefit Gip Gayle, a Suwanee college student injured in a hunting accident.

   Strides for Strength currently supports five young people and their families with their medical needs.

   Their fourth annual Strides for Strength Benefit 5K will be held at Collins Hill High School on April 29 at 9:00 a.m., in memory of Collins Hill junior, Jarrett Boston, who recently succumbed to cancer.

   “He lost the battle, but overall won the war because he’s now reaping his eternal reward,” said Montepare. Proceeds will go towards helping the Boston family with medical expenses.

   “The only way this works is if people show up and we have the whole community out there supporting the Boston family,” said Montepare. And by community, he means that even dogs are welcome to participate.

   Assessing his success, Montepare said, “We’re not an answer to problems, but we’re a launching pad, at least.”

   Nearly 20 Gwinnett businesses now sponsor his program and Lil’ River Grill created an auxiliary Lend a Hand program.

   Launching pad? Grass roots? Whatever you want to call it, Stride for Strength is going and growing. ( www.stridesforstrength.org )

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