Raceday creates non-profit to assist funding endurance athletics

[Raceday]

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – September 15, 2003 – Raceday announced today the creation of a non-profit company
dedicated to funding endurance athletics. Raceday hopes to provide financial assistance to
individuals and organizations that desire to participate in, create, or continue in endurance
athletics but are unable to as a result of financial limitations.

"We understand that endurance sports are typically poorly supported, eliminating a large portion of
the population from ever being able to compete." says co-founder Tony Berwald. "We want to directly
participate in the promotion and growth of endurance athletics. Additionally, by encouraging
participation at a young age, we hope to promote a lifestyle of healthful living, thus replacing the
trend of ‘TV and Video Game' youth culture. We believe our programs will incent young people to go
outside and participate in endurance sports. In the long term, we hope this will help at reducing
obesity and the diseases that go along with it."

Raceday is looking for individuals and groups who want to receive Raceday Awards. To determine if
you or your group might be eligible, visit the Raceday website at www.racedayinc.org.

Raceday is also looking for people who share the same ideals to show support through donations. The
company's goal is to get 1 million people to donate just $5 by November 3.

For more information, please visit www.racedayinc.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Raceday is a non-profit corporation under IRS code 501(c)(3) and all donations to Raceday are tax
deductible. Raceday recognizes that non-profits have a responsibility to use donations ethically and
follows this ideal by keeping overhead costs to less than ten percent of total revenue.

Raceday is currently active in the community and hosts the North Georgia Adventure Race each year in
January. This all volunteer event gives 100% of its proceeds to various national and local
charities. The NGAR website is www.ngar.org.

CONTACT: Tony Berwald Raceday
(678) 386 5416 tberwald@racedayinc.org http://www.racedayinc.org (http://www.racedayinc.org/)

[Globaldisc]

I smell a rat. The company was founded only last year but states as a FACT the following, "Raceday
is the nationwide leader in providing financial help to those who want to participate in endurance
athletics".

This is on their site and no matter how you want to define "leader", this statement is just NOT TRUE
(by any measure). Does anyone here think they actually believe that? They must
because....well....everybody knows a Christian would not lie....would they?

More from their site?...on who they are they say, "We wanted to put on events that were solely for
the purpose of benefiting Christian, educational, and other society betterment organizations because
at Raceday, we believe that all who are blessed to be able to participate in any type of athletics
should follow Christ’s example and serve those in need, whether by financial commitments or by
donating your time and energy".

And wow....their "Event Schedule" has one single event listed and it's in January of 2004. I guess
the "nationwide leader" is not aware endurance events take place in September, October, November,
and in December..or maybe they're just too busy......doing....ahhh....doing.....who knows what?

Ok ok ok...I'm done busting their chops. Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Unitarian, Moonie,
Druid,....I don't care what religion you choose to practice. However you should just come right out
and declare your agenda in your press release especially when you're appealling for money. Afterall,
does a runner that happens to be an aethiest have half a chance of being recognized and awarded from
this group? I think not!

An example of being sneaky?....on their FAQ section wherein they talk about "awards" they give
out...etc...it says,

Who is on the Raceday Award committee? Raceday selects people from the community who remain
anonymous to serve on the Award Committee. This way, Raceday does not influence the decision of the
Award Committee in any way.
----

Yeah right....hahaha...."star chamber"...stuff here folks. Give me a break. Again, my complaint is
the evasiveness, the secrecy, and the out right dishonest statement about themeselves. Where's
there's smoke, there's usually fire....and methinks this group is not on the "up and up" to the
letter of which they reperesent.

They probably mean well...however should discard the BS and be upfront, open and honest. The
Christian agenda is fine....as would be a any particular agenda. Many running clubs and teams/squads
have an array of programs for local financially disadvantaged youth with the same exact agenda
(minus the religious stuff).

Just had to state my 2 cents as I was considering donating 3 brand new and boxed pairs of NB
1210's....however the more I looked...the more I became suspect of the integrity of the company.....

Andrew....

[Raceday]

Hi Andrew -

Thanks for your comments - I'll take the time to address each one of them (see below). We have
references if you'd like and I'd be happy to give them to you if you will contact us offline. If you
email me personally - tberwald@racedayinc.org or tberwald@ezgov.com I'll be happy to give you my
personal phone number so we can discuss and hopefully alleviate some of your concerns.

Very respectfully - Tony Berwald

globaldisc@aol.com (Globaldisc) wrote in message
news:<20030915113549.08106.00000914@mb-m14.aol.com>...
> I smell a rat. The company was founded only last year but states as a FACT the following, "Raceday
> is the nationwide leader in providing financial help to those who want to participate in endurance
> athletics".
>
> This is on their site and no matter how you want to define "leader", this statement is just NOT
> TRUE (by any measure). Does anyone here think they actually believe that? They must
> because....well....everybody knows a Christian would not lie....would they?

We are the only organization that I know of (please correct me if I'm wrong) that is attempting to
bridge the gap between the cost of endurance athletics and the participation in them. We are a start
up organization (as menitoned in the our story section) that is trying to assist people nationwide.
We have already received a lot of positive feedback and responses from folks who need help and plan
on giving them help come November 3.

>
> More from their site?...on who they are they say, "We wanted to put on events that were solely for
> the purpose of benefiting Christian, educational, and other society betterment organizations
> because at Raceday, we believe that all who are blessed to be able to participate in any type of
> athletics should follow Christ’s example and serve those in need, whether by financial
> commitments or by donating your time and energy".
>
> And wow....their "Event Schedule" has one single event listed and it's in January of 2004. I guess
> the "nationwide leader" is not aware endurance events take place in September, October, November,
> and in December..or maybe they're just too busy......doing....ahhh....doing.....who knows what?

- This is the only event that WE put on. Perhaps we could have been a little more clear on that. If
you need references that we are a "real" organization, you can contact any one of the 80 teams
that raced in our inaugural event last year, where we donated around 10K to various charities and
community organizations.

> Ok ok ok...I'm done busting their chops. Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Unitarian, Moonie,
> Druid,....I don't care what religion you choose to practice. However you should just come right
> out and declare your agenda in your press release especially when you're appealling for money.
> Afterall, does a runner that happens to be an aethiest have half a chance of being recognized and
> awarded from this group? I think not!

- Yes, an atheist, or any other person has an equal opportunity for assistance. We do not score
based on Christianity (which is why religion is not included on the scoring). We score primarily
based on need and a few other factors which are listed on the site.

FYI - we were not appealling for money so much, more for people who need assistance to know that our
organization is out there.

> An example of being sneaky?....on their FAQ section wherein they talk about "awards" they give
> out...etc...it says,
>
> Who is on the Raceday Award committee? Raceday selects people from the community who remain
> anonymous to serve on the Award Committee. This way, Raceday does not influence the decision of
> the Award Committee in any way.
> ----

Again, trying to make sure our awards are as objective as possible. We decided to put this out there
so that no one would be able to influence award decisions - I personally don't want to ever be
accused of bias (especially for religion).

> Yeah right....hahaha...."star chamber"...stuff here folks. Give me a break. Again, my complaint is
> the evasiveness, the secrecy, and the out right dishonest statement about themeselves. Where's
> there's smoke, there's usually fire....and methinks this group is not on the "up and up" to the
> letter of which they reperesent.
>
> They probably mean well...however should discard the BS and be upfront, open and honest. The
> Christian agenda is fine....as would be a any particular agenda. Many running clubs and
> teams/squads have an array of programs for local financially disadvantaged youth with the same
> exact agenda (minus the religious stuff).
>
> Just had to state my 2 cents as I was considering donating 3 brand new and boxed pairs of NB
> 1210's....however the more I looked...the more I became suspect of the integrity of the
> company.....

I assure you, we are on the "up and up". My wife and I (and a few others) do this as a service to
the community, for no other reason. We do not take a salary and our only costs are associated with
fundraising. We do appreciate your candor and did not mean for the site to be evasive.

> Andrew....

[Raceday]

Andrew -

Again, appreciate your comments. We took your constructive critism and changed the text to "Raceday
is striving to be the nationwide leader in providing financial help to those who want to participate
in endurance athletics". This is what we are trying to do, plain and simple.

Perhaps we will consider a site textual redesign, perhaps not as this will most likely take away
from the focus of Raceday, which is providing assistance to those who need it, getting our young
people off the sofa, and creating a generally more healthful America. I think the idea of taking a
more humble approach is a VERY good one and one we will consider as we grow and mature (and have
time to spend other than fundraising).

We are intimatly knowledgable of the Team in Training program. It is a VERY successful and admirable
program that has raised countless money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research. We, on the other hand,
are attempting to raise money to support endurance athletics and hopefully help to create lifestyles
that reduce disease (preventative, rather than reactive, treatment). Interestingly enough, TNT has
about 25% overhead, compared to our 10%.

I hope we will be able to assist someone in your area or someone you know as that hopefully will let
you realize that we indeed are doing our best to assist others.

Regards, Tony

globaldisc@aol.com (Globaldisc) wrote in message
news:<20030916072701.21971.00000887@mb-m04.aol.com>...
> In all due respect, you "dance around" this premiere statement about your organization.
>
> "Raceday is the nationwide leader in providing financial help to those who want to participate in
> endurance athletics"
>
> When you defend this statment, you use words like "attempting" and "trying". Noble
> yes....factual...No! You're saying nothing that qualifies this rather grand statement as factual.
> Avoiding placing substance, facts, qualifying points that support the statment as factual is
> evasive plain and simple.
>
> You're inviting scrutiny when you engage in such grand declarations. I think what you're doing is
> great however I also think you hurt your own integrity when you presents statements as facts that
> are not and when you poorly communicate your messege. For example, your statement leaves you open
> to comparison to Nike, or Reebok, or Visa or Asics or any one of hundreds companies that also
> provide financial support to endurance athletes, school programs and running clubs, etc. Also,
> there are hundreds of non-profits that provide over $10K/year (if that's your only event) to youth
> running programs. Look, I'm only coming down on you as I think you can be much more successful if
> you tone down the hyperbole, craft and focus your messege, just have your words have integrity and
> merit....and illustrate that you know what you're talking about. I think you have more to gain by
> saying you're small than big for example....
>
> Unfortunately there are a lot of organizations that declare the same things as you do...however
> are not on the "up and up". You place yourself in that crowd/mix when your facts are....well
> are not.
>
> Check out the below site....there is some hyperbole spouted here as well however much more
> "context" and "qualification" (and coincidentally out of Ga. as well).
> http://www.lesnelson.com/corp.htm
>
> Good Luck and I Wish Your Group Well...
>
> Andrew....