Friends:

I’m writing this month’s letter because I have to do a little bragging. Cherie is being honored by USA Triathlon as the Grand Master Triathlete of the Year for setting new course records for her age group at the Ironman 70.3 Vineman, Ironman 70.3 St. Croix, Ironman 70.3 Hawai'i and both the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Championships. She was also ranked #1 in her age group and named an All American. Cherie’s been invited to race in the USAT World Championships, so we’re off to Milwaukee in August, where she’ll compete and also receive the award.

Ain’t she a peach? You can read the story here. (Cherie also received USAT’s “Spirit of Judy Flannery” award in 2014. Read about it here.)

On to a recap of a very busy few weeks for the EE kids.

On March 23, Cherie rented an entire movie theatre in San Bernardino so the EE kids and their families could have a private showing of the movie “McFarland, USA.” It’s the remarkable true story of a high school coach in a poor California town who coaches an unlikely team of Hispanic kids to the state cross country championship. To say this was a moving experience would be a vast understatement. These kids and their families – over a hundred in all – were seeing themselves up on the screen.

Our own private ticket window:

And what’s a movie without popcorn?

(Cherie and I are going to stop in McFarland on our way back from the Wildflower triathlons next weekend.)

UC San Diego senior and EE “kid” Marlene Samano was one of 200 (out of 24,000) undergrads selected to present the results of an original research paper. Hers was entitled “Gaze Training Games Intervention: Improving Eye Movement Control in Children with ASD.” (ASD is “autism spectrum disorder.”)

On April 4 the kids came out to race in the “Run for Ike” event honoring a much-admired police dog killed in the line of duty.

 The race is put on by our good friend Molly Thorpe and husband Jay. Here’s Molly getting ready to start the kids’ race.

Ahris does his levitating trick:

Sorry there aren’t more pictures. Your humble photographer ran the 5K and by the time he finished, the kids had eaten, collected some trophies and taken a nap.

As if that wasn’t enough for the day, the whole gang then headed for the pool for another swim training session from Ben Hobbins.

One of Ben’s coaching colleagues pitched in to help. Here he is with Orion.

A great session!

This morning, the kids raced the “PossAbilities” triathlon and 5K, sponsored by Loma Linda University. This is a wonderful event especially geared toward challenged athletes.

 Chilly start to the day, but at least it wasn’t pouring like the night before:

Really young kids get to compete, too, like our own Karen. (Makeup supplied by the race.)

Say…who’s the guy with Rosa sporting a second-place medal?

Jon Alvarez took second overall in the 5K:

Here’s Jesus Soto with San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools and great friend of the program, Dr. Dale Marsden, who’s becoming a pretty good triathlete in his own right:

Richard and Jose, lapping up the excitement:

A splendid time was had by all…especially Ahris, who did the kids’ bike race after he finished the 5K:

Coming up:

 . Summer run training starts, in preparation for the EE race in September for who gets to go to the Challenged Athlete Foundation event in San Diego in September.

 . The Tinman Triathlon takes place in late June. This is going to be a special one, because thirty ladies of the Tri La Vie triathlon club in Orange County are sponsoring the entries of individual kids.

Hope you’re all enjoying Spring, wherever you are, and thanks as always for your generous support of the kids.

 -lee

 (This letter is also available on our site, at http://www.eefoundation.org/2015Events/April-combined-letter.htm)