<p>&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I first moved to the Tohoku region at the age of 10 and have seen it grow and thrive through economic, natural and human trials. &nbsp;I was here for the 92' typhoon which was the worst that this region had seen. Hundreds of houses were destroyed and fishing villages were </span><span style="font: 14.0px Arial; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">annihilated on the western coast.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">&nbsp; The power was out for weeks. While waiting in a line for batteries at a local store outside Akita city, a man took time to comfort me, offering my family his batteries saying in English, "Okay, it will be okay. We must help each other."</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I think those simple words sum up the sprit and power of Tohoku and that is why I plan to run and do my 5k to survive on April 10th at 3:11 pm. &nbsp;This is a informal run in which people around Japan and around the world will participate in to raise money and awareness for relief from the March 11th tsunami and earthquake.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">&nbsp;</span>Please go to:&nbsp;http://5tosurvive.org/ to see all the details.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;">Thank you!!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Arial;">Mel</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>