Delta Gamma alumna guides blinded Navy veteran in California marathon Contact: Mary Ellen Hardies Director of Communications [email protected] (614) 487-5508

When Danielle Zemola, Beta Tau-Miami (Florida), got the call that she was going to guide Retired Navy LT. Brad Snyder in the National Blind Marathon Championship in California, she was speechless. “I would probably be reacting more, but I’m sitting at my desk at the law firm right now,” she said right after being informed her essay had been chosen from more than 50 entries. Her speech quickly returned and her enthusiasm was contagious. She not only started a countdown on her Facebook page, but dedicated her run as an Anchor Run for the Blind. The new program, which launched this year, allows for Delta Gamma members and non-members to sign up for a race anywhere in the world, pay those fees and then register with Delta Gamma to fundraise for blinded veterans. Danielle set a lofty goal of $5,000 and after jewelry parties, newspaper articles and Facebook posts, she not only met, but exceeded her goal, raising $7,000. The money will be split between Service for Sight: Joining Forces and the United States Association of Blind Athletes. Danielle is the president of the Fort Myers alumnae group and is dedicated to running. In fact, following her participation as Brad’s guide runner, she ran a 50K race and a half marathon in the same weekend.

Upon arriving in Sacramento, Danielle was off on a whirlwind adventure, being welcomed by a community of runners that she hadn’t known before; men and women who have lost their sight, but not their will and desire to compete in some of the most challenging sports in the world. Brad was part of a relay team participating in the race and he told Delta Gamma that Danielle’s passion for running and for veterans was evident in her essay and in her personality. “I think her passion is one of the first things you notice about Danielle. Her commitment is unwavering to those causes she deems important,” Snyder said. Brad and Danielle were tethered together for nearly eight miles. You might think they’d be too out of breath to chat, but you’d be wrong. “You don’t know how many verbal cues are needed, so you err on the side of telling them everything,” Danielle told the Sacramento Bee. It was also a time for the pair to get to know each other a little better. “This is amazing,” was the one thing Danielle kept reiterating throughout the weekend. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Following the race, Brad was the keynote speaker at an event for blind children at Society for the Blind in Sacramento. There he told them that life is about perspective. He said that he still dreams in color and in the beginning it was very frustrated to be reminded “every day when I wake up that I am blind.” But his mother told him that instead of being upset when he woke up, be happy that he gets to go to sleep each night. “Perspective is a powerful thing,” has been a running theme of Brad Snyder’s life and message. We certainly think he’s changed ours. Delta Gamma was a proud Gold Sponsor of the National Blind Marathon Championship, which is part of the California International Marathon, an event hosted by our partners at the United States Association of Blind Athletes. Delta Gamma is even more proud that one of our members was able to have such a special experience. There were 33 blind runners who participated in the race and nine were veterans. To participate in your own Anchor Run, visit deltagamma.org and download the program guide or email [email protected] to find out more. Delta Gamma Fraternity is a women’s organization founded in 1873 at the Lewis School in Oxford, Mississippi. With 146 collegiate chapters and 230 alumnae groups we are one of the largest sororities in

North America. Delta Gamma has been dedicated to helping those with visual impairment or blindness since 1936. Joining Forces and the Anchor Run for the Blind are the most recent additions to our philanthropic efforts.