Patrick Kercheville is a man on a mission.

What else could you possibly call a 44,000 meter indoor row event, designed to help celebrate his 44th birthday?

How about an incredible opportunity to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in our community?

44 on 44!, Kercheville's aptly titled fundraiser, aims to do just that. We recently spent some time with Patrick to get the full story behind his mission, his method and his motivation.


LHT: Tell us about the emphasis behind "44 on 44!"
Kercheville: On Friday, February 26th, beginning at 10:00 a.m. I'll be performing a 44,000 meter (27.28 mile) indoor row in celebration of my 44th birthday at the LA Fitness on Skillman and Walnut Hill. The event is designed to raise food and funds for the Vickery Meadow Food Pantry, a multi-faith organization established to support recent refugees and other working families in the Vickery Meadow neighborhood, which is practically right behind us here in Lake Highlands.

LHT: Why is the cause of raising awareness about the issue of hunger important to you?
Kercheville: There are thousands of noble and relevant charities that exist; however, I believe in order to be a productive citizen at even the most basic level, regular meals are key. Hunger is considered a "silent epidemic" even in a wealthy country such as ours.

Success in school, work, or an extreme endurance event like rowing over 27 miles requires the sustenance of life - food and proper nourishment. People who are hungry, or food insecure, miss more work, more school and have higher health care costs than those who aren't forced to go without.

LHT: Why did you choose the Vickery Meadow Food Pantry specifically?
Kercheville: The Vickery Meadow Food Pantry is a recently consolidated pantry that's a collaborative project of Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Service, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Temple Emmanu-El, Ladies of Charity, National Council of Jewish Women and the Vickery Meadow Management Corporation. Even though faith-based organizations run it, the pantry is designed to serve those in need who reside in the northeast Dallas neighborhood of Vickery Meadow without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, political belief or national origin.

This pantry serves those in need who are part of our own neighborhood; meaning we'll have an impact at home, where it can matter most.

LHT: Was there a life moment that contributed to your desire to launch the 44 on 44?
Kercheville: The genesis of the project was originally intended to be another crazy fitness goal. Over the last two years, I've lost 60 pounds in response to a scare I had with borderline hypertension. That was the original wake-up call. "44 on 44!" was a way to keep things interesting. It began as just another goal. However, very quickly, I realized that I could do something more than just make it personal. It was time to give something back to those who need help. I figured if families have to be uncomfortable day after day, I can be uncomfortable for a few hours while bringing awareness to their plight, which only continues to worsen in this stagnant economy.