A corporate sponsor gives the author more than what she bargained for in her ambitious run across America
WHEN I WAS PUTTING Takbong Pangarap together, I wasn?t kidding when I told friends that getting the support to run across the United States from California to New York was more painful than the actual run itself. Securing sponsorship is tough; marketing yourself is awkward, and having big corporations set your hopes up, only to send their regrets, is emotionally exhausting.

So it was a big surprise when Western Union agreed to sponsor?and position itself as a proud presenter, no less?of Takbong Pangarap. But the bigger surprise was how easily it came: Leah Caringal, a PR lady and good friend who had been trying to get sponsors for my planned transcontinental run from the moment I mentioned it to her, called one day to ask me to pitch my project to a gentleman named Mike Morelos. ?He?s a nice guy,? she assured me. ?Call him!?

She was right about Mike. Cheerful from the get-go, Mike, marketing manager for the Pacific and Indochina of The Western Union Company, showed a genuine enthusiasm for what many thought was crazy and undoable. Next thing I know, it was he who was calling me up, upbeat as usual, and even if he had just flown in from a meeting with his colleagues in the US. ?So how do we go about this?? he asked eagerly.

I?ve been told it was Takbong Pangarap?s ?can-do? spirit and the fact that it matched Western Union?s global campaign called ?Yes!? that proved appealing. Appropriately, the world-renowned money transfer company was also in the business of making dreams come true daily in its 354,000 locations worldwide.

They certainly made ours a reality. Once my running partner Mat Macabe and I took off on Mother?s Day at Eagle Rock Plaza in Glendale, CA, I spent anywhere from 7-10 hours running an average of 26-30 miles on the shoulder of the service roads and scenic byways of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

It was the most physically, emotionally and mentally demanding task I had ever put myself through. But then, it was also the most amazing and uplifting experience of our lives, a rare privilege that ranks right up there next to our run across the Philippines (from Davao City to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte) in 2005.

Being alone on the road most of the time?and away from the Philippines for six months?made visits to Western Union events a welcome break.

At their headquarters in Denver, CO, American employees joined Mat and I for a ceremonial run around their office, then sprung for a program that included a rondalla band, tinikling dancers and Filipino food. In Fort Washington, MD, Pinoy groups spent their Saturday with us in a lively party of parlor games, karaoke and, of course, more Pinoy food.

And when Western Union hosted a press conference for us after we finally reached New York on Nov. 22, the auditorium of the Philippine Consulate on 5th Avenue was packed with Filipinos.

As the weeks and months unfolded, it was clear Mat and I got more than the financial resources to make Takbong Pangarap a dream run come true. Through our partnership with Western Union, we found a lifelong friend in Danny Titus, a professional photographer who put his life and work on hold to serve as our coordinator till our final destination in New York.

We also developed a strong relationship with Tony Dinkins, whose company, Unlimited Events, executes all the events of Western Union USA.

?A lot of what we do is work,? said Tony, who has a pair of my rattiest running shoes encased in a glass box and mounted on the wall of his Yonkers, NY, office. ?But your project was really special.?

Something tells me Mat and I will be seeing Danny and Tony again.

?Western Union connects people and their dreams. Be it the dream for a better life by OFWs around the world or the goal of running through the USA by a single woman, the company is a trusted partner of the Filipino,? said Patricia Riingen, senior vice president, Pacific and Indochina, The Western Union Company. ?We are honored to be part of this great undertaking. As Rojas exemplifies in her record-setting endeavor, there is no limit to what our countrymen can do.?

After what the company has given us?the rare opportunity of running across America, and the blessings of new friends both here and abroad?I?d say the honor was ours.