“Chain, Chain, CHAIN…. Chain, Chain, CHAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAN – Chain of …”

Oh – Sorry. I was just remembering what a fun song that is to sing at Karaoke bars. Mind you, THAT song is all about a “chain of fools,” whereas I’ve been contemplating Mic’s concept of a chain.

His chain would be comprised of…well, NOT fools. Rather, each link would be comprised of a discerning individual who comprehended a more global “vision” and who cared deeply about the sort of issues that affect us all, especially the treatment of, research for and support of those affected by cancer.

It reminds me of that old shampoo commercial in which one woman, so intensely satisfied with her mind-blowing shampooing experience that she fervently suggests, “You tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on and so on….” until the screen is chock-full of the head-shots of women who are suspiciously ecstatic about that particular hair care product (I don’t even remember which one it was – I just know it wasn’t the beer shampoo, because that said something about, “You HEAD can’t get drunk” – right?). Sorry. This is a horrible metaphor in that it’s so cheesy that it will clog our brains with “thought cholesterol.”

On the other hand, the concept of even ONE person telling another person and THAT person sharing the information with one person or perhaps SEVERAL people is something that can make an amazing impact. You know that game, “gossip?” Never mind. That doesn’t really apply here, because I would hope that THIS message wouldn’t get distorted into unintelligible gobbledygook.

It IS, however, a little like the concept of “six degrees of separation.” OR “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon.” FYI, I’m either four or five degrees from Kevin Bacon (with the given that we’re counting “industrial” films and making it only four if we count TV appearances – TV SERIES, not awards shows).

But let me ACTUALLY and TRULY get to the point: Jennette, my Dear Cousin, YOU ARE LINK NUMERO UNO in this “chain of hope,” as imagined by Michele Capaccioli and Henrike Hirsch and embodied in the LIVESTRONG® European Cycling Team, which endeavors to raise A LOT of money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (and I intend to talk on another occasion why I think one should donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation). You even got your VERY OWN International mention.

I thank you so much, and my Dad is very honoured. Mic had this to say in one of his LIVESTRONG® European Cycling Team articles:

As far as my fundraising campaign is concerned, it seems to me we have the power to assist the progress of research under the premise that “every little bit helps.” If 1,000 people simple donated $25 (USD) or one hundred people managed to donate $250 (USA) we would reach our goal

And I actually think we can break it down even further. How about 10,000 people donating $2.50? Someone recently mentioned to me that she only had, “Three dollars and twelve pennies to my [her] name.” So $2.50 falls well within that budget. I’m NOT being facetious (not about the actual ISSUE, anyway).

I do believe that EVERY little bit counts; every ten dollars or a dollar or even a penny gets us just a little closer to the goal. Mic says it best:

Some might argue that it is, at the very least, a difficult effort, and, at the worst, an insurmountable objective. Nevertheless, as stated many years ago by Tommy Lasorda, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in man’s determination.”

Help the Ride for the Roses!

Please help this admirable cause

So, YOU tell two friends, they tell two friends, and so on and so on and so on…