Grateful for In The Arena

Endless "Thank You" to founder of @inthearena_team @amoryrowe for your vision. It has and continues to leave a significant mark in the lives of our youth. We love and appreciate you. Wonderful to have you here with us. "Gracias" infinitas a la fundadora de #InTheArena, Amory, por su vision. La cual ha y continua dejando una huella muy importante en la vida de nuestra juventud. Te queremos y apreciamos. Maravilloso tenerte aquí con nosotros. #WeAreInTheArena #SomosInTheArena #HowWeBean @llbean

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Jun 16, 2015 at 11:02am PDT

First and formost, I am very grateful for another amazing year with In The Arena. 

In The Arena has allowed me to do, to see, to witness, to experience and to share life with our youth in the purest way possible.. I love being part of an organization that allows you to be yourself and gives you the freedom to implement the programs you believe in and convert those crazy ideas into reality. To say that I love being a mentor, a friend, and an athlete will be an understatement.  

Meet the newest faces, top 3 finishers of the #Charquitas race and #champions of the @inthearena_team with Zoila from my hometown #Charcas #SanLuisPotosi @charcas_slp #SomosInTheArena #HowWeBean #llbean #WeAreInTheArena #HowWeBean #llbean Conoce los nuevos rostros, los primeros 3 lugares de la carrera #Charquitas 2015 y Campeones de #InTheArena con Zoila de mi Charcas, San Luis Potosi

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Apr 21, 2015 at 12:01pm PDT

Im thankful for all of those people who believed In The Arena and continue to support us. Behind each athlete there is a donor. Someone that also decided to make a difference in our youth. Thanks to their donations I get to see kids smile, I get to see their grades go up. I get to see many of them become leaders. Others have become or help their teams become State Champions.

I get to be the one that receives the good news when another kids wants to do a sport or join the music club. I'm also the one who gets that unexpected call asking if we can talk or if I can take them to a game, a party or an school event. My job is to motivate kids to believe in their dreams, to ask for help and to reach as high as they can. Also my job is to be there for them when they need me. To listen when they speak, to let them cry if they have to and to laugh when the storm has passed. 

Im very thankful I live in a small town where I ca be at many different places in one day. Im thankful I dont have to rush back home because I will hit traffic. The extra minutes I get to spend with our youth are golden.

I survived my own youth thanks to mentors and people that deeply cared for me. People that lend me a hand and believed in me. Im thankful In The Arena allows me to do the same for our kids while In The Arena does it for me.

A message from our @inthearena_team mentee, Alicia Gonzalez "Believe in yourself" Un mensaje de parte de una de nuestras niñas de In The Arena, "Cree en ti mismo" #SomosInTheArena #WeAreInTheArena #HowWeBean

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Apr 15, 2015 at 10:44pm PDT

Im thankful for the In The Arena team, Margaret the athlete coordinator and Amory Rowe, the founder. Thank you, thank you for working and believing in us, the In The Arena athletes. 

Im Thankful for the rest of the In The Arena athletes: Emily Azevedo, Lea Davison, Matt Elliott, Bridget Franek, Caitlin Gregg, Brian Gregg, Kristin Hedstrom, Kristin McGrath and Jake Sheomaker

Im thankful for L.L Bean. Even tough I am in love with their product, I am even more in love with their commitment to help make a difference in our youth. Im thankful for giving the In The Arena athletes the opportunity to share their stories and work in different venues.

Im thankful for the relationships we have developed through the years in and outside the organization.

The trust and love one gets back from our mentees is second to none. My In The Arena "job" bring happiness and joy to my life and for  that I am forever grateful!

To the entire In The Arena Team: Thank God for You!!!