Fight for Air Climbs

To the Editor:

Soon I will be joining more than thousands of others from around the country in this year's Fight for Air Climbs to raise money for the American Lung Association. I am gathering donations and walking to help fight asthma, lung cancer, COPD and dozens of other lung diseases.

I am asking for your help. By making a contribution on my behalf, you will be helping the American Lung Association provide community based education programs, fight for cleaner air standards and fund lifesaving research.

Asthma is the number one cause for school absenteeism and every day in this country at least 10 people die from an asthma attack, thus it is important that we provide disease management education to children when they are 8, 9 or 10 years old.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally and is woefully under funded when it comes to research, thus is essential that we generate the awareness needed to increase resources for advanced research projects. The average age for Americans to start a smoking habit is 14, thus it is critical that we get into the elementary schools and teach children about the dangers of tobacco use early.

My goal is to raise $100 for our cause. Please go to my personal web page and make a $5, $10 or $20 gift. All gifts are fully tax deductible as the American Lung Association is a 501(c)3 organization and is in fact one of the most recognized nationally for proper management of the resources entrusted them since they began in 1904.

You will receive a notice in the mail from me thanking you for your gift which you can then use for your tax filing next year. You may also make checks payable to The American Lung Association (my climb team “Maine’s Bravest”) and mail them to our local office.

Please take a deep breath, and be thankful that you can. Millions of others suffer from lung disease daily and your support makes the everyday act of breathing that much easier for many people.

Together we can fight lung disease successfully.

Mark Tripp,

Rumford,

Maine's Bravest