---

Project Athena founders will be racing this year’s Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica.

21.09.2008

(SAN DIEGO, Calif.) – Five female adventure athletes who’ve survived life-affirming struggles have recently launched a foundation to grant the wishes of other women who\'ve had medical or traumatic setbacks in their lives. Invoking the name of the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, the founders have dubbed the effort Project Athena.

Project Athena founders Robyn Benincasa, Danelle Ballengee, Melissa Cleary, Florence Debout, and Louise Cooper, say their organization grants Athenaships – similar to full-ride scholarships – that completely fund and outfit the adventurous wish of each recipient. The foundation has awarded two Athenaships in its first 6 months of operation-- one to a breast cancer survivor and firefighter whose wish is to hike the Grand Canyon (9/08) and another to a teacher with a degenerative spinal disease whose mission is to run the Great Wall Marathon (5/09).

“Someone may want to trek to Everest Base Camp, or run their first 10k,” said Benincasa, a San Diego city firefighter and world-renowned endurance athlete who has a new chrome hip after years of suffering from osteoarthritis. “Through our own experiences, we know the hopelessness survivors have to battle. Our intent is to honor that by helping women achieve their life-long dreams of adventure. Hope and dreams go hand in hand. That’s the message of Project Athena.”

To help spread the good news about Project Athena, its founders will race together as a team at select high profile events, including The Coastal Challenge Expedition Run, which is scheduled for Jan 31-February 5, 2009. “We just want to get out there and show other survivors what’s possible, and to encourage them to see ‘challenges’ again versus roadblocks. There’s something very transformative about that”, said Florence Debout, a two-time cancer survivor and Project Athena’s ‘Commissioner of Courage’.

The San Diego-based Project Athena Foundation has received its American 501(c) (3) tax-exempt status, and is currently accepting donations for future Athenaship grants as well as organizing and outfitting plenty of amazing ‘Fundraising Goddess and Gods’ who are raising funds for the foundation through their efforts in various athletic events and all-inclusive trips called Project Athena Adventures, Benincasa said.

Corporate partners are lining up to be involved with Project Athena as well. Already on board are Merrell shoes, Zanfel poison ivy wash, Wigwam socks, Sole Custom Footbeds, KlearWater water treatment and Acid Zappers. “These sponsors have been generous enough to handle all of Project Athena’s startup and operations expenses for us so that 100% of donations from the public can be used for Athenaships”, Benincasa said. It’s such a gift to be able to hit the ground running with this foundation…literally!” For more information or to make a donation, go to the organization’s website at: www.projectathena.org

Turn to the next page for more info about the Project Athena founders.