The Boston Marathon bombing ripped apart bodies and lives in a moment and attempted to undermine the community. The bombers didn’t plan for the resilience of Bostonians, who have galvanized in the face of this crisis. One Revolution, founded by Massachusetts native, Paralympic medalist and three-time Boston Marathon competitor Chris Waddell, bases its organization on the belief that “It’s not what happens to you. It’s what you do with what happens to you.” Great things can come from this crisis. Many in the community have lent their assistance. We would like to lend ours as well.

Currently, One Revolution is reaching out to hospitals, schools and rehab centers in the Boston area to ensure that those affected know we are here to help. Chris Waddell and the One Revolution team will be traveling to Boston the first of June to offer support and inspiration to those injured as well as the broader community.

Chris was an accomplished skier in college. In an instant, he became a part of the disabled community that he advocates for today. It is our hope that Chris’s example of resilience and unique perspective as a disabled athlete will empower those injured to live fully once again.

“The Boston Marathon is the greatest race that I’ve ever done because of the crowd support for 26.2 miles from the start in Hopkinton to the finish on Boylston in Boston,” said Chris. “That support made me feel loved and at home.” Community contributes to resilience, and this tragedy should stand as a reminder to create that sense of support, love and home for others and ourselves wherever we go.

One Revolution is extending an offer to Boston area schools to share our Nametags TM presentation. The primary message of the Nametags TM educational program is: It’s not what happens to you; It’s what you do with what happens to you. Additionally, One Revolution hopes to provide fund-raising assistance to support injured athletes with rehab expenses though screenings of the award-winning documentary, 1 Revolution.

If you have connections in Boston with the medical facilities, schools with children of impacted families, or families of those whom were injured, we would appreciate your assistance in helping us make connections and make a difference.

The bombings failed in their attempt to rip the Boston Community apart, but they could still rip apart individual lives. Please let us be a small part of insuring that doesn’t happen.

Boston Strong,

One Revolution

We are proud to announce that Chris Waddell was recently nominated for the “2013 Humanitarian Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy”, through All Sports United!

The winner will be voted on by peers and will receive a $100,000 media grant customized for the benefit of their cause of choice.

“I am honored to be nominated for my philanthropy work with One Revolution. Please vote! This media grant would be a great help in spreading our message, helping to change perceptions of disability and inspiring the choice to live fully,” said Chris.

Please vote (once a day through May 1st) at www.allsportsunited.org/vote

Dear Friends and One Revolution Supporters,

Living a healthy, active lifestyle is something that is easily taken for granted. As Board Chair of One Revolution Foundation, I have taken on the challenge of training for a West Coast ‘Who’s Your Hero Tour’ with Chris Waddell, 13X Paralympic medalist.  From Seattle to San Diego, the 2013 Who’s Your Hero Tour is a 1,500-mile bike ride search for heroes with stories of resilience, integrity and community in the face of struggle. A portion of this ride is in collaboration with Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), and I am raising money to support this effort.

There are 40-50 million people with physical disabilities in the U.S. alone. Only 1 in 10 physically challenged people participate in sports. There is a huge population of people who aren’t able to go for a jog, play basketball, or participate in any of the sports activities so many of us love. But it’s not because they lack ambition, desire, or skill. They only lack the support and funding to get the resources they need to succeed. Chris Waddell of One Revolution adds inspiration.

Adaptive sports equipment like basketball wheelchairs cost up to $5,000, while running prosthetics can cost more than $30,000. Learning to swim when you lack a limb (or limbs) requires special coaching.  Insurance typically does not cover these expenses. Just like me, these challenged athletes want to participate in athletics and feel the rush of competition, but they face a major obstacle.  CAF is changing this reality by helping thousands of people of all ages, ethnicities, and disabilities realize their dreams. Your support is needed to get even more challenged athletes to the finish line.

One Revolution is committed to changing the perception of disability by inspiring the choice to live fully. With our help, challenged athletes can bridge the financial gap and overcome obstacles blocking their path to athletic achievement. That is why I am challenging myself to make a difference in their lives.

Join me in making dreams come true for challenged athletes and inspiring the choice to live fully! Please partner with me by making a donation to One Revolution. Checks can be sent to P.O. Box 681026, Park City, UT 84068.

For more information on our 2013 Who’s Your Hero Tour,  visit: www.facebook.com/onerevolution or email: info@one-revolution.org.

Thank you for your support,

Bob More, Chairman - One Revolution Foundation

Plans were recently announced for a 2013 West Coast cycling tour by Paralympic hall of famer Chris Waddell, founder of One Revolution. The philanthropic cycling team expects to cover more than 1,400-miles from Seattle to San Diego this fall. Making educational presentations at schools along the route to promote a message of resilience, the tour will connect the common experience of challenge from community to community. Plans will also incorporate stops at VA Hospitals and adaptive sports recreational facilities.

The tour will highlight physical fitness and serves as a platform to rollout social and educational programs that advance One Revolution’s charitable mission. Crossing through cities and towns, country roads and byways, the One Revolution teams of disabled and able bodied participants will demonstrate that: “It’s not what happens to you. It’s what you do with what happens to you”. Chris Waddell will share this message along the route with an estimated 5,000 school children through One Revolution’s Nametags™ educational program. The Nametags™ presentations push people to challenge the assumptions and limitations that result from the labels that we give to ourselves and others. In this compelling interactive program designed in conjunction with resilience educator Donna Volpitta, Ed.D, students learn that they have the power to make choices about how they are perceived and in the face of adversity, they can choose resilience. Reservations for a limited number of presentations are now being confirmed.

Community outreach and engagement are important elements that will determine the pace of the first segment of the tour scheduled to begin early September, 2013, in Seattle, WA. “Since this is a tour, not a competition, plenty of time will be allocated for community involvement and interaction at the beginning and the end of the ride,” said Waddell. The tour will join with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) Dodge Million Dollar Challenge (MDC), in San Francisco on October 11. The MDC portion of the tour is an unforgettable seven-day, 620-mile bicycle ride down the breathtaking California coastline – from San Francisco to San Diego – all to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation. One Revolution is proud to incorporate CAF in its efforts to raise awareness and funds to support both organizations with this event. Additional Nametags™ presentations will take place in Southern California upon completion of the ride.

In 2009, Waddell successfully summited Mt Kilimanjaro in a hand-cycle. One Revolution hopes to build upon the momentum from the climb with another major sporting challenge— this time a 1,400-mile hand-cycle ride along the West Coast. Like Waddell’s Kilimanjaro climb, which was captured in the award-winning film 1 Revolution, the journey will form the basis of a documentary. Future plans for One Revolution include a coast-to-coast rolling tour in 2014.

One Revolution is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization headquartered in Park City, UT. Support comes primarily from individual and corporate donations and sponsorships. One Revolution’s mission is to change the way that the world sees people with disabilities by highlighting our universal struggle. More information is available at: www.one-revolution.org.

For more information or to schedule a presentation on the west coast, call (801) 510-9684.

There are events that change us. They permanently change who we are and who we will be.

These are the events that compel us to search our souls.

These are the events that force us to face emotions.

These are the events that push us to our limits and test to see just how far we can go.

These are the events that expose our vulnerability and emphasize our interdependence.

In the hours and days following these events, we cannot comprehend the change that has taken place.

In the weeks and months following the event, we begin to recognize our new reality.

Through the years, we may even begin to heal and find a new sense of purpose, one that before would never have been possible.

But never, never will we be the same again.

And it is through these the lens of these events that we will forever tell the rest of our story.

For Newtown CT, today was such an event.

Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to be involved with One Revolution as Executive Director. Prior to my involvement, this incredibleorganization has not only survived, but thrived through the work of very passionate volunteers who have caught the vision of One Revolution.

To follow is a list of recent One Revolution accomplishments. Thank you to all of our One Revolution friends, volunteers and donors for your support in making this possible. With your help, the Foundation has generated great momentum over the last year. In my new roll, I am tasked with leading growth initiatives to maximize the reach of our message and continued success of One Revolution programs.

- 1 Revolution documentary now available on iTunes – New and Noteworthy premier positioning

- 1 Revolution documentary to be available on iN Demand by year end 2012

- 1 Revolution has been featured at award-winning film festivals around the world including the Disabilities Film Fest in Russia Nov 2012

- Reached more than 100,000 children through 400+ NametagsTM presentations including 4 American schools in Moscow

- Completed a NametagsTM promotional video to promote our program: https://vimeo.com/51972056

- Made significant progress in organizational structure of the Foundation to accommodate growth and future success

- Appointed a full-time Executive Director to lead growth initiatives

- Made significant progress in on-line and social presence and reach with the One Revolution message

- Continued media outreach and high-profile earned media including Ski Magazine, CNBC, Billionaire Magazine and other news sources

- Established and strengthened partnerships and strategic alliances to leverage exposure for the One Revolution mission

In the new-year, One Revolution will continue to focus on its Nametags TM educational program. A tour of school and youth center presentations as well as 1 Revolution documentary screenings are now being schedule for: Arizona in January; Utah in February; and the along the West Coast in October of 2013. To schedule a presentation near you or for sponsorship opportunities, please call me at (801) 510-9684.

Now more than ever, everyone needs to be reminded of the power of resilience. Through my work with One Revolution, I am constantly reminded to re-evaluate how I choose to respond to situations in my daily life and think about my priorities. The small stuff is far less important than the choice to reach my full potential and to help others do the same. I am very happy to be a part of the One Revolution team, and look forward to an exciting 2013!

Jodi Holmgren – Executive Director

jodi@one-revolution.org

My passion is Resilience

By: Donna Volpitta, Ed.D – Educational Director at One Revolution

“It’s not what happens to you; It’s what you do with what happens to you,” is a mantra that my kids are certainly sick of, but someday, I hope that it will serve them well. I know that it is what sometimes gets me through the day.

The funny thing about resilience is that it is universal—we all experience challenges throughout our lives. How we handle those challenges is our resilience. For some, a slight bump in the road can seem tragic, and for others huge roadblocks don’t seem to slow them down. There is another part of resilience though, the part that is what intrigues me most: the relationship between resilience and integrity.

Take the Sandusky incident. The challenge for the university officials was whether to report the incident, as required by law. I consider resilience to be how they handled that challenge—choices that they made. They made the choice to take the easy road, the one that made them feel the least uncomfortable. Ironically, they called it “the more humane” course of action. The easy road is often not the one that builds integrity, but as humans, we are often all to good at justifying our actions to make us feel better.

How can we teach resilience in a way that builds integrity? How do we teach our children to make decisions that are difficult, but that in the long run are more honorable? I believe that we can.

Three years ago, a friend of mine from college, Chris Waddell, called and asked if I would help him write and educational program for One Revolution, his non-profit foundation. Chris had been paralyzed when we were in college and went on to become the most decorated male paralymic skier in the world. We both agreed that the program was not going to be about disability, but rather the universal experience of challenge. The program that we designed, Nametags, works for kids because it does just that—it is a template that can be given by anyone who has faced challenge, and every child can relate his or her own challenges to the message, “It’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to you.” The program, which Chris has now presented to close to 150,000 students, is powerful.

But it takes more than just a program. Each day I see news about bullying because it is such a hot topic. Almost anything about bullying seems to sell. But when we are focusing in on bullying, I feel like we are missing the point. Kids become bullies and get bullied because they don’t know how to act any other way. Kids stay quiet because it is the easy road. If top officials at a university were not willing to rock the boat, how can we expect children to?

Ten years ago, I embarked on the greatest journey of my life, parenthood. My husband and I laughed that I would have guinea pigs for my theories of teaching resilience. My friends laugh now that I have four kids to give myself more opportunity to test the theories. Parenting is hard. Incredibly hard. We can work very hard and never be certain that we have done what is right. But no matter what my children decide to become, my greatest hope is that they will learn to handle challenge with resilience and integrity. Therein lies my passion.

Donna Volpitta, Ed.D. is a resilience educator and co-author of The Resilience Formula: A Guide to Proactive, Not Reactive, Parenting. To learn more or contact her, go to www.URresilient.com

October was a busy month for Chris Waddell. The One Revolution Nametags™  presentation reached an audience of more than 4,600 individuals in four states, then an additional four schools in Russia! The foundation’s educational program suggests: It’s not what happens to you. It’s what you do with what happens to you.

http://vimeo.com/51972056

Chris Waddell, One Revolution Founder, made his first stop on the fall tour in El Paso, TX, where he visited four elementary schools. Next stop was Oklahoma City where he visited two schools, a rowing club with more than 300 kids, and a wheelchair support group for a dozen adults.

From there, Chris traveled to Dobert-Sherborn, MA. Chris presented to three groups of middle-school to high school students there, and a screening of the award-winning 1 Revolution documentary took place that same evening. To wrap-up the state-side fall tour, three more presentations took place at schools in Barrington, RI.

Although the schedule is demanding, Chris’s passion for spreading the mission of One Revolution is tireless! His achievements transcend what others believe he can achieve given his disability. The Nametags™ programs push people to challenge the assumptions and limitations that result from the labels that we give to ourselves and others. No matter who we are, we will face struggles and adversity, and the presentation speaks to everyone.

After a very short break, Nametags™  went international in November! Chris Waddell traveled to Russia where he presented Nametags™  to four American schools. One Revolution was also selected to participate in the Disability Film Festival which took place in Russia earlier this month. A screening of the foundation’s award-winning documentary, 1 Revolution, was very well received.

What’s next? One Revolution is now scheduling a January Nametags™ tour in Arizona, and February in Utah. If you would like to start the new year off with a presentation for a school or youth group near you, call 801-510-9684 or email: info@one-revolution.org

Tune into Squawk on the Street, on CNBC – Friday, 11/30/2012. Chris is in New York to participate as a speaker at the National Ability Center / Saluting our Heroes event this weekend. Following the opening of the stock market, Melissa Lee & Carl Quintanilla will interview Chris on the program regarding NAC’s Saluting Our Heroes event. Airtime: 11:50:00 AM (ET). For more information on the event, visit: www.discovernac.org

Amanda Stoddard is the producer of the award-winning documentary, 1 Revolution, which follows Chris Waddell on his amazing journey up Africa’s tallest mountain.  This film illustrates the heart, strength, spirit, and courage behind an amazing accomplishment, as it documents the first, and nearly completely unassisted, paraplegic ascent of 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro.

1 Revolution was recently chosen for the 6th International Disability Film Festival, Breaking Down Barriers, which Amanda will be attending for the screening, and is set to take place in Moscow this weekend November 9 through the 12^th. The festival has two main goals in mind, the first is to increase awareness about the barriers experienced by disabled people throughout their everyday lives, and the second is to expose the vast potential of individuals who acquire access to equal rights. The festival makes every effort possible to give confidence and empower people with disabilities in Russia. Here is what Amanda had to say:

“When I met Chris Waddell in 2007, I had no idea this man would present me with the biggest challenge of my life, or that I would so willing to take on that challenge. It all started very simply, an idea born over a meal with friends, and a total willingness on both my part and Chris’s to see it through to the end.  At that particular moment in my life, I was interested in athletic drive, and fortuitously with Chris, I received a fantastic opportunity to research and study arguably one of the world’s greatest athletes on an extremely intimate level. I never set out to make a film about disability, but I did want to know what drives people to create, execute, and accomplish big goals.

What I found is that it is harder than you ever could imagine, sometimes disappointing, so difficult, and you want to quit every day. But if you take on a big goal, (for Chris it was climbing a mountain with his hands and for me it was having the audacity to think I could make a movie about it), when you finish it, even if you make a thousand mistakes, even if you feel like you were failing the whole time, even if they call you names, if you finish, no one can ever take that away from you. Of course in the midst of this process you feel very alone and it isn’t until it’s finished, and you have created something that has meaning to others, that you feel you’ve done something worthwhile.

I am so grateful on so many levels that people find meaning, or at least a little enjoyment, when they watch 1 Revolution. There were so many times I thought I might be the only person who ever thought any of it might be of interest. This project changed my life, and when festivals, like Perspektiva, focus on awareness and change, choose to take the time to exhibit the film, to talk about it, to promote it, and most importantly give it a framework to reach people, I am truly humbled.”

1 Revolution is inspired by anyone who has ever faced challenges in their life, and overcame them through the power of lasting resilience. It’s about finding ways to live your life to the fullest, no matter what circumstances you are given, and showing the world that you can and WILL create valuable contributions to society no matter what obstacles you face. As Chris Waddell has been commonly quoted, “It’s not what happens to you.  It’s what you do with what happens to you.”

Because the 1 Revolution documentary was produced through One Revolution Foundation, your donations are very much appreciated as well as tax deductible. DVDs are available for purchase, easy downloads are available through iTunes, and private screenings of the film are also possible! Contact us at: (801) 510-9684 or info@one-revolution.org Here is a quick preview of the film.