While there are many reasons to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon, one that will really help you to get that 20 mile run in when it would be nice to sit in the hammock or make that extra fundraising call is the MCM grant.

Over the course of 26.2 miles you will come across 4,000 volunteers who assist with race day activities and, of that, more than 2,000 are active duty Marines and Sailors. These men and women can be found coordinating the water points, handing out medals, managing the medical tent and much, much more.

It's crazy to think that when they hand you water, they thank you for being out there. In our mind, it should be the other way around. So to give you even more reason to race and raise money, Push America has selected the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2009 grant recipient. Push America will award a grant either 10% or $5,000 (whichever is more) of all fundraising to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Their goals are to:

• To raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women
• To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other
• To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs

The (WWP) was founded on the principle that veterans are our nation's greatest citizens. The WWP seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world. Many of the injuries are traumatic amputations, gunshot wounds, burns and blast injuries that will retire these brave warriors from military service. From the battlefield to their bedside, WWP is there to meet the needs of our wounded heroes:

• We provide them with unique programs and services.
• We raise awareness and enlist public support.
• We provide a means for veterans to help each other.