Why?

Why would any 50 year old man walk 10 miles a day for a year. Is it a mid life crisis or some esoteric search for self? Does he need the attention? The answers are both simple and complex.

Since I was a child my 1st mentor taught me that when you follow Jesus you will go places and do things you would never imagine. The God who walked on water, made the mountains and even raised the dead still wanted to work wonders in our lives. How I ended up here as The Mentoring Man is only by our Creator’s design. But there are too many kids who do not know they are loved, that God has big dreams for them and that their future isn’t determined by their past.

Since 1994 Rise Up! has been able to love over 1000 youth at various levels. Some only for a short time, others for years. We’ve seen kids go to college and kids go to jail. But all were loved and loved well. Over 250 kids have been in our programs for at least 3 years (the minimum time for impact).

My dream over the next 9 years is to impact another 250 youth. To do this we need long term volunteer or professional mentors so…

I’m walking 10 miles a day for 365 days to:
1. Bring attention to the need for everyone to mentor at least 1 kid in their lifetime.
2. Inspire under resourced kids to do big things.
3. Gather enough sponsors @ 1 cent or more per mile to support volunteer/professional
mentors for 250 kids.
4. Glorify God. For a year I want to publicly live for his glory.

Our goal is 100,000 sponsors who will commit to sponsoring at least 1 cent per mile (36.50). All funds will go into a savings account to support 10 professional mentors and volunteer coordinators.

So join me… in prayer, financially, or online. We have to do this together.

Michael Marion