Genetically modified organisms at heart of family’s six-month trip

Thank you, Lauren, for the interview and article!

By Lauren Cappuccio
Public Opinion
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Source: http://www.publicopiniononline.com/News/ci_26118740/Family-runs-cross-the-United-States-to-put-an-end-to-GMO-foods

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CHAMBERSBURG >> Since January, Brett Wilcox and his son David have been running across the United States to bring an end use of genetic modified organisms as food.

A GMO is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish and mammals. Many farmers use GMO seeds to help their production.

Brett said these organisms are harmful to humans when ingested.

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The Wilcox family, from Sitka, Alaska, also includes Brett’s wife Kris, and daughter Olivia, who are following them and cheering them on the family vehicle.

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They started their journey Jan. 18 in Huntington Beach, Calif., and have averaged about 20 miles a day. The family hopes to reach Atlantic City, N.J., by July 19 — after 3,000 miles and six months of traveling.

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The idea for the run started when David, 15, a championship cross-country runner, mentioned doing a run across the United States after reading a story about a girl who completed the journey. After dismissing the idea, Brett said he reconsidered and decided that it would be for a purpose.

Getting the word out about GMO products has been something Brett, a licensed counselor, has been passionate about for years and led him to release the first book of a future series in 2013 called “We’re Monsanto: Feeding the World Lie after Lie.” In it, he discusses one of the companies producing GMO products, Monsanto, which produces seeds, weed control products and technology for farmers.

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“The biggest lie is they say to feed the growing population, we need GMO foods,” Brett said. “It is proven that these foods are unsustainable. We are eating insecticide,” he said.

After some backlash, the company tried to change their image to look like an agricultural company, he said, and started selling the chemicals under the pretense that it would grow more product and kill all pests.

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Some farmers he has talked to have agreed that GMO’s do help them and said he respects their opinion.

Brett recommended that while GMO products are not easily distinguishable at first, many of them contain corn, soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, products made from sugar beets and processed foods.

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He recommended looking at GMO shopping guides online to see what products are certified organic, which do not have any GMO’s.

You can follow the Wilcox’s journey at https://www.facebook.com/RunningTheCountry or https://www.runningthecountry.com. Friends of theirs started an online campaign to help with some of the costs for their family as they travel, as both of them took a leave from work to pursue the run: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-the-wilcox-family-finish-strong.

Lauren Cappuccio can be contacted at 262-4754.

Help the Wilcox Family Finish Strong

When David first announced that he wanted to run across the country, Kris and I didn’t take him seriously. How could we? Running 3,000 miles at 20 miles per day, six days a week would take at least six months, not including the gearing up and winding down time before and after the run. In addition, seven or eight months away from our jobs was simply not realistic.

Unless . . .

Unless we cast aside our fears and our doubts and we took a 3,000-mile leap of faith.

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Faith that of the millions of people who favor a GMO Free world, even just a few of them would step forward and show their support for our run and mission.

With the help of our good friend, Owen Kindig, we launched an Indiegogo campaign. And thanks to 132 generous contributors, our campaign brought in $7,500. To be sure, seven point five grand is a lot of money. But unfortunately, we’ve spent more than that amount in health insurance alone since we’ve been on the road. (Maybe the next time we run across the country, we should run for the creation of a reasonable and corruption free health care system!!!)

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In addition, many other people have contributed either through our website or directly to us as we’ve run across the country. And we are grateful to every person and for every contribution made thus far, but as of this date our expenses still far exceed contributions received.

We made it clear before we started our Run for a GMO Free USA that we would run regardless of the amount of contributions donations. And so we have.

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No doubt, 3,000 miles ago, many people doubted our ability and our commitment to the run. No doubt, many held back with their donations because there was no guarantee that we would or could actually complete our run and mission. To be honest, we had the same doubts. We now know like some 300 other people know than that running across the USA is no easy task. And for David, running 3,000 miles as a 15-year old boy shows tenacity and spunk not seen since 15-year old Tobias Cotton completed The Great American Foot Race in 1928.

But the time for doubt has passed. We’ve nearly completed our coast-to-coast run and, along the way, we’ve made every effort to speak the truth whether at events such as the March Against Monsanto in Saint Louis, Missouri, or on the streets, or to the media.

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On July 17th at 9 a.m. we’ll speak once again. This time we will join with like-minded people at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, before running the final 60 miles to the beach at Atlantic City, New Jersey. Join us at The Liberty Bell if you can. Run with us if you can.

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Kris and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary on July 19th, the day David and I plan to jump into the Atlantic City. What a blessing it would be if we could complete this run free of the debt we’ve picked up while pounding the pavement for the past six months.

That blessing is now entirely possibly because Owen has created a second Indiegogo campaign titled Help the Wilcox Family finish strong.

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If you value our run and our mission, take a look at the campaign Owen created. Watch the videos (5 or 6 to date) and, if you feel so moved, then by all means contribute.

Yes, we’re finishing our run on July 19th, but the work will continue. Once we’re back in our home of Sitka, Alaska, I will wrap up my second book in which I expose and refute another 50 of Monsanto’s lies. We will also be working hard producing the documentary DVD based on our run. (The We’re Monsanto books and the documentary are included as perks in the current Indiegogo campaign.) After that, I plan to compile a book of essays written by religious thinkers and leaders from various faiths in which the writers provide theological and religious arguments against GMOs and supportive of natural agricultural systems.

There’s so much yet to do! Please help us finish strong and to continue our work for a GMO Free USA and world. Contribute now.

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Thank you so much!

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