I created this campaign because:
Hi folks! My name’s John Frances Fennell and I have been a luger since I was 10 years old. I live, train, and learn in Calgary. It’s my home and I’m proud of it. Originally born in Denver, I’ve lived in Calgary since I can remember. I’m a national team member since 2013 and since the Sochi Olympics last February I’ve been able to call myself an Olympian.
One day, I want to be able to stand on the top of a podium and see the maple leaf rise. I want to compete at the highest level and to know what it means to truly master something. I’ve overcame injuries and personal struggles and now I can clearly set my sights on my future in this sport. Although I made the cut for 2014 Olympics, I am currently only a partially funded member of the national team. My team and I spend about 5-6 months per season travelling around Canada, The States, and Europe competing on the World Cup circuit. I’m committing the next 4 years to being the best I can be at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea. Most importantly, I am willing to do what it takes to get there.
I will be using the funds for:
This is where you can make a difference. Because I haven’t had any top 10 results in the Olympics or World Champs, I am only partially funded by my national sport organization. This creates the issue of finding my funding. I am without a title sponsor, which means I am personally responsible for producing funds. My costs break down into two sections- team fees and travel fees. A 2500 dollar membership fee followed by an installment of 3000 dollars for the first 4 races and then a final installment of 4000 for the rest. I am expected to come up with 9500 dollars simply to be a member of the national team. I've had to offset the cost of using this service by increasing my goal. But rest assured, every dollar donated is going directly to paying for my team fees.
I am able to offer a few levels of rewards for those willing to contribute. Donations of 20 dollars will get you a personalized “Thank you” message on social media. Anyone willing to contribute 50 dollars will receive a signed photo of me training. For donations of 150 dollars you will get an autographed World Cup race bib as well as a hand written “thank you” letter. Any donation exceeding 250 dollars will get you all of the aforementioned rewards and a souvenir from 2014-15 World Championships in Sigulda, Latvia.
Your supported means:
Remember that for you it may just happen every four years, but this is my every day. I am training day in and day out to pursue my goals. Your support means that I will be able to continue chasing the clock all the way to Korea. Thank you for backing my dream.
