[nfb-talk] FYI If you can help!

[Michael Hingson]

Ivan Castro has been to our National conventions.  Please help.

 

As you may know, Ivan Castro is an Army officer who lost his eyesight while
serving in Iraq in 2006 and now has run more than 24 marathons. Ivan is
nominated for the 2012 USAA Athletic Inspiration Award which honors four
individuals with military ties who have overcome their hardships through
sports. The winner will be featured on the TV show "Courage in Sports" on
Veteran's Day on CBS. The voting opened last week and ends on Monday. Voting
can be done here:  <http://www.facebook.com/USAA> www.facebook.com/USAA

 

More info about Ivan and the competition is in the below press release.
Anything you can do to help spread the word and help Ivan garner votes would
be much appreciated. Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Best,

Nick

 

 

Nick Owen

Social Media Manager

___________________

INTERSPORT

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Contact: Nick Owen/Intersport

312-467-2826/nowen at intersportnet.com 

 

BLIND ARMY CAPTAIN AND MARATHON RUNNER IVAN CASTRO NOMINATED FOR 2012 USAA
ATHLETIC INSPIRATION AWARD ON CBS

 

2012 USAA Athletic Inspiration Award Announced on Courage in Sports Nov. 11
on CBS 

 

For Nominee Information, Visit:  <http://www.facebook.com/USAA>
www.facebook.com/USAA 

 

[Oct. 2, 2012] CHICAGO - Captain Ivan Castro, who was blinded in Iraq yet
continues to serve and is an avid marathon runner, is nominated for the 2012
USAA Athletic Inspiration Award for Courage in Sports (facebook.com/USAA),
Intersport announced today. The USAA Athletic Inspiration Award, wholly
determined by fan voting, recognizes individuals who have overcome
monumental challenges to achieve greatness in the world of sports. The
winner will be announced on a one-hour "Courage in Sports" special airing at
5 p.m. ET Nov. 11 on CBS. 

 

Four remarkable individuals have been selected to participate in the
Facebook voting. From now until Oct. 8 fans may vote once per day and share
their vote with friends at  <http://www.facebook.com/USAA>
www.facebook.com/USAA. 

 

Castro, 45, is a blind officer in the U.S. Army. During deployment in Iraq
in September 2006, Castro was badly wounded when mortar shells landed near
him. The shells tore through Castro's body, blowing off his trigger finger,
parts of his arm and shoulder and lodging shrapnel into his left eye. The
damage to both of his eyes from the attack left Castro permanently blind. 

 

After the attack, Castro dealt with feelings of depression and anger.
However, a visit from a blind Marine, two months after the attack, changed
Castro's perspective. The Marine helped Castro realize that "although his
ability to see was gone, he-the soldier, the leader, the guy who loved a
challenge-was not." Castro, who had been a runner since high school, set a
goal to finish his first marathon and show other disabled warriors "what
blind can do". 

 

After 36 surgeries in thirteen months, he ran the 2007 Marine Corps Marathon
in just 4 hours and 14 minutes. With the aid of guide runners, Castro has
more than 24 marathons under his belt. 

 

Currently, Castro is on active duty. He also advocates for wounded veterans'
participation in the Paralympics by meeting with members of Congress and
encouraged military and civilian employers to hire the blind by speaking at
events across the country.  Castro also takes it upon himself to counsel
disabled soldiers and brings forth his belief that as long as you're
breathing, life is worth living.

 

To show your support for Castro or any of the four nominees in the 2012 USAA
Athletic Inspiration Award, visit:  <http://www.facebook.com/USAA>
www.facebook.com/USAA or  <http://bit.ly/PDpNZj> http://bit.ly/PDpNZj on
mobile.

 

For questions about "Courage in Sports," contact Nick Owen at
<mailto:nowen at intersportnet.com> nowen at intersportnet.com or 312-467-2826.

 

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

 

About USAA 

USAA provides insurance, banking, investment and retirement products and
services to 9.1 million members of the U.S. military and their families.
Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently
recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial
strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving or have honorably
served our nation in the U.S. military - and their eligible family members.
For more information about USAA, or to learn more about membership, visit
usaa.com.

 

About Intersport

Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the
creation of sports and entertainment based marketing platforms. Intersport
provides turnkey solutions for global brands by combining two award-winning
divisions: Sponsorship & Event Marketing and Television & Digital Media. To
learn more about Intersport, log on to www.intersportnet.com, like us on
Facebook (Facebook.com/IntersportBuzz) or follow us on Twitter
(@IntersportBuzz). 

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