April Edition
Issue 1

Greetings

The Power UP Foundation would like to welcome all of you to our first newsletter.  As many of you know, Coach Merrill has written a book entitled “Fighting the Demon of Suicide”.  The book is based on the true life events of how suicide has affected not only Coach Merrill but the community of Bowling Green, Ohio.

In an effort to be pro active on the issue of mental illness and suicide, Coach has founded the Power UP Foundation.  His belief is that better physical health can and will improve better mental health.  “When a person feels better, they think more clearly, and when that happens a person uses better judgment and feels that their life has purpose.  When a person feels a sense of purpose then they make goals.  Goals move a person in positive direction”.  – Coach Merrill

Mission Statement of the Power UP Foundation

The mission of The Power UP Foundation is to promote positive physical and mental health to communities across the United States.  The Power UP Foundation is designed to provide financial support to community programs that promote better physical fitness and mental health to its citizens.  Grant money would be available to any community in the United States.

Coach Merrill

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Coach Merrill is the President and Founder of the Power UP Foundation.  Merrill is a graduate of Bowling Green High School and a graduate of Bowling Green State University.

After graduating from high school, Merrill attended Owens Community College where he was a member of the college baseball team.  In addition, Merrill has served as a baseball coach for the past twenty years.  Merrill currently serves as the Head Baseball Coach at Bowling Green High School.

In 2008, Merrill published the book “Fighting the Demon of Suicide”.  The book is based upon the eight friends of Coach Merrill’s that had made the decision to end their own lives.  It is Merrill’s hope that his book will serve as educational to all of those who work with our nation’s youth, hopeful for parents, and inspiring for all those who read it.

In 2009, Merrill founded the Power UP Foundation.  The foundation was created to provide financial assistance to communities across the country that has programs that promote better physical fitness and mental health.  Merrill believes that better physical health equals better mental health.

The “Run to the Keys”

Coach Merrill is in the process of organizing a historic run that is scheduled to begin October 4, 2009.  The run will begin in Boston, Massachusetts and will conclude March 2010 in Key West, Florida.  The run is scheduled to last 6 months and will have Coach Merrill running ½ marathon a day, 6 days a week, with every 7th day off.  Throughout the “Run to the Key’s” campaign, Coach Merrill will speak at Universities, Colleges, high schools, community organizations, and governmental committees.  The mission for the Power UP Foundation is to achieve better mental health through positive physical fitness.

Goal of the Power UP Foundation

The goal of the “Run to the Key’s” campaign is to raise $25 million dollars for the Power UP Foundation.  The foundation’s mission is to financially assist communities across the United States that have programs that promote positive physical and positive mental health.

Raising $25 Million Dollars

Coach Merrill has donated 100% of all book profits to the Power UP Foundation.  In addition, all levels of membership are available through donations from corporations, businesses, community organizations, and individuals.

In addition, Coach Merrill is putting proposals together for television networks to carry the run as a reality television show.  The idea behind the show is three fold.

Have the cameras follow Coach Merrill for the duration of the run, including into universities, community organizations, and high schools.
Having a different current/former athlete, entertainer, or politician run with Coach Merrill each week.  Our guest would offer conversation of their victories and defeats in their life.  In addition, we would ask them to share stories of how a positive attitude and perseverance.
To have a trainer/dietician join the cast to train Coach Merrill and each week give training and diet tips to our viewers.

A Message from our Founder

I would personally like to thank all of you for taking the time to read over our first news letter.  I am very excited about the work that we are doing here and the “Run to the Keys” campaign.  The potential of the foundation is limitless and I look forward to spreading the positive message of goal setting, attitude, and hard work.  It is my hope that our mission will bring light to where some find darkness.

Over the past two years, many of you have seen me running the streets of Bowling Green.  When I began running, my reasons were to lose a little weight and to get into better physical shape.  I felt that I could do better with my health and that I could push father time a little farther away from me.  However, after running for approximately three months I began seeing other changes as well.

I began setting goals and challenging myself to run faster.  Finally, after running for six months I got up the courage to run in my first 5k race and posted a time of 22:06.  A faster mile was not the only change I noticed however.  I also began keeping a better schedule and getting more organized.  I set higher goals and found the courage and determination to achieve them.  I began believing that all things were possible and more importantly in myself.

Since graduating from high school, I have pushed our community’s youth to achieve on the field of play.  In my time serving as the Head Baseball Coach at Bowling Green High School we have enjoyed many successes on the baseball field.  However, we have also suffered our share of losses.  The losses I speak of however are not on the field of play.

Over the past five years, our baseball program has lost two of our players to mental illness and suicide.  Further, our school has lost four students to the same disease.  These losses in addition, to the personal losses that I had suffered growing up losing a best friend, former girlfriend, and family friend has compelled me to write the book “Fighting the Demon of Suicide”, and founding the Power UP Foundation.

It is my hope that our efforts at the foundation will provide not only our youth but all of us with better physical and mental health.  My wish is that every person may have the courage to find their passion and to make positive impacts on those around them.  I encourage you to surf our web site at www.powerupfoundation.com and to donate to our cause and support our efforts.

For additional information, please feel free to contact me at coachmerrill@powerupfoundation.com or my publicity assistant Cyndi Abdon at cyndi@powerupfoundation.com.

Thank you for your time and support!  Power UP!

Sincerely
Coach Doug Merrill