Cocodona Charity Bibs

Help me in supporting CAPS (Counseling & Psych Services) - University of Arizona in Cocodona 2025!

“I now have the tools they gave me to walk a path paved with kindness, selflessness, and gratitude. This is the path that is Cocodona 250”

There were many times in my 30 years of life it felt like an uphill battle just to see another day. From the age of 15 when my drinking career began, I never thought I would live this long. Hell, I didn’t want to live this long.

Hurricane Jil set out on a path of destruction, leaving behind wreckage and travesty in the lives of my loved ones. On July 3, 2019, my cousin Brandon passed from an overdose. This heartbreak and testament to his pain and suffering opened my eyes to the changes I needed to make in my own life. Since July 7, 2019, I have remained sober and set out on the adventure of a lifetime. To clear the wreckage of my past and dedicate my existence to serving my communities and those around me. I hold the memory of Brandon in my heart, and strive to live a full life to honor his life.

It felt impossible to be a sober young person, until I found CAPS. Through Wildcats Anonymous, a subgroup dedicated to student sobriety, I found community and learned what it meant to live life without drugs and alcohol. We played games, hiked, went rock climbing. I attribute the success of my ability to remain sober highly to the people in this program.

Upon graduating in 2022 with my B.S. in Nutritional Sciences, I embarked on the adventures of graduate school! Amongst the chaos of escaping an abusive relationship (and beginning to process the terror that was attached to it), confronting the rigorous standards of academic research in STEM, and maintaining my own sobriety… staying afloat felt impossible. I was drowning.

Through mental health crises, wins, losses, and everything in between, CAPS was ready and available to me 24/7. They were in my corner every step of the way, a lifeline when I needed it the most.

After 6 arduous years and 2 degrees later, it is my turn to give back. Just as they were with me every step of the way, I now have the tools they gave me to walk a path paved with kindness, selflessness, and gratitude. This is the path that is Cocodona 250. The path set by the incredible souls and soles who have gone before me, I hope to follow in their footsteps and positively impact my communities, one step at a time.

- Jil

Double Your Donation Today!

Does your company have a gift-matching program? Check with your HR department to see if your company matches employee gifts. If they do, take advantage of this opportunity to double your contribution today!

Please note that matching gifts must be received 2 weeks prior to the race day to be counted towards your fundraising goal. Donations must also have the athlete’s name associated with the donation so we can allocate funds accordingly.

The Wander Project Tax ID number is: 83-1778644