Please Help! Molokai and Catalina Channels for ACS

The first Catalina Classic race was held in 1955 (Photo by Kerwin)

Dear Family, Friends and Collegues,

Being a native of Southern California, the ocean has always been a special place for me. A couple years back, a friend introduced me to paddleboarding and I immediately fell in love with it. It’s a traditional waterman sport that allows you to be out in the ocean, exploring the beautiful coastline, and also getting a hell of a workout along the way. I found like-minded people who I now call friends who challenge themselves with with marathon distance paddles across the Catalina and Molokai channel every year. For those of you who know me, I don’t feel like I am living unless I have a challenge in my life.

This year alone an estimated 1.368 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and will embark on the biggest challenge of their lives. There’s a good chance that some of them will be people we know and love. I lost my father Don Miralle Sr. to brain cancer in 2004 and my father-in-law Daniel Inskeep II to melanoma in 2007. I have chosen to fight back against this disease and help make a difference by supporting the American Cancer Society’s mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering through research, education, advocacy, and service. Last year, through your donations, we raised nearly $5,000 for the American Cancer Society with my paddle in the Catalina Classic. This year I hope to double our efforts, so next week I am paddling in the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships and the Catalina Classic again and hope you can help me reach my goal. I hope for every mile I paddle you can donate something to help the fight against cancer and that will serve as my motivation to keep my arms moving across two 32-mile channels of open ocean.

If you are reading this you have probably made a difference in my life and I hope you can make a difference for those people diagnosed with cancer. Please feel free to forward this link http://main.acsevents.org/goto/molokaiandcatalinaforacs 
along via email, facebook or twitter to anyone you may know who is interested in donating to cancer research. I know times are tight for everyone but please take a moment out of your busy day to support my effort by clicking on one of the buttons above and making a donation that will go directly towards saving lives.

Thank you for your continued support,

Donald

Vegas Baby! UFC 132

LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 02:  Tito Ortiz celebrates after defeating Ryan Bader by submission in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 132 at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 2, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Donald Miralle/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) 

What a great country we live in that athletes trained in multiple martial arts can beat eat other to a pulp in a cage as fans and celebrities cheer and millions pay to watch on TV. And what better way to celebrate the country’s birthday on the 4th of July weekend than another exciting showdown in the octagon at UFC 132 in Vegas, with some great KO’s and a killer main event. Dominick Cruz v Urijah Faber, Wanderlei Silva vs Chris Leben, Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader, Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim comprised the stacked main card with celebs like Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Jenny McCarthy, Kevin James and more in attendance to watch the pugilists at work. Here are some of my favorite pics from the event, hope you enjoy!

“The Biebs” –  Singer Justin Bieber takes in the fights at UFC 132 at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 2, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Donald Miralle/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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