Dear Friends—

As many of you already know, I served as a Marine in Vietnam, an Oakland police officer until severely injured, continue to be a recovering avid cyclist, a tireless blood advocate, and I credit my recovery from my accident to God and Jesus Christ. Yes, I’ve experienced lots of “life-changing moments” during my life, yet, I now have a goal where I really need your help. I can’t do this alone!

From June 5^th through July 27^th, I will be making my fourth cross-country bike ride to help a cause near and dear to my heart: volunteer blood donations. You see, I myself am the recipient of an enormous amount of blood— 110 units, or roughly nine times my normal blood volume. Years ago, while on duty as a police officer, a DUI driver going 65 miles per hour struck me as I was telling a driver not to step out onto the freeway. By ambulance, I arrived at ER with a severed femoral artery, major blood loss and fifteen separate injuries. I had “bled out” and stopped breathing and was not expected to live. But I did. And one of the reasons I am alive today is because 110 people I’d never met had taken the time to donate one pint of blood each.

With nearly 5 million people a year needing life-saving blood transfusions in this country, the need for blood is constant. This is truly a cause that impacts all of us, directly or indirectly. However, only 37% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood. But there is another way to help, and that’s by donating money.

My goal with this year’s Life Across America 2010 ride is to raise $110,000 ($1,000 for every pint of blood that saved my life) for the Foundation for America’s Blood Centers. FABC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports the efforts of community blood centers by funding educational programs, operational research, and other initiatives designed to maintain a safe and available blood supply for all Americans.

I would be honored if you would join me in supporting their efforts with whatever level of donation fits your budget. You can donate online at: http://bit.ly/give2laa (This address is specific to my individual campaign for FABC). Or you can mail your check (made out to FABC with “Life Across America 2010” in the notation line) to:

Please join me in bringing Life Across America 2010 to millions of patients by forwarding this message to any of your friends who are neighbors, active duty military, veterans, cyclists, cops, or simply people who care about saving lives. Many thanks in advance.

Gratefully,
Larry Frederick

P.S. Please feel free to contact me through my website during my ride. Although I may not be able to respond to your message immediately, I welcome your positive energy!