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Our Mission

To help athletes with debilitating injuries/illness, through financial scholarships, achieve their academic goals in memory of the life of Kevin Dare – a legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable spirit – to get Life…back on track.

Scholarship applications are due May 31st, 2012. Applications can be downloaded here.

The Foundation’s goal is to provide an opportunity to outstanding high school students, exhibiting the courage, strength, and fortitude to rise to the challenges of their situation and still have the determination and will to achieve the academic success that they had always hoped to accomplish. It is our hope that as scholarship recipients become alumni recipients, this inspirational group will, in turn, help to support others in achieving their dreams.

One of the most pressing needs to begin the mission is to allow schools, student athletes, and other applicable groups know that this kind of scholarship is available.  To launch the new initiative and garner support for funding the scholarship, the Foundation is planning The Kevin Dare Foundation Life…Back on Track World Record Memorial Run. From the plant box at the University of Minnesota, where Kevin lost his life, to the track facility of Penn State University, a team of elite runners will attempt to break the world record for the 1000 mile, 10-man relay.  The team of runners, made up of 10 elite athletes that are international representatives, All-Americans, Olympians, and Olympic Trials qualifiers will tackle the world record that stands at 99 hours, 3 minutes, and 27 seconds.

This record attempt and run is not just about completing the distance.  Kevin was a fierce competitor who, through extreme determination, pushed his body to reach his potential.  In memory and tribute to Kevin, these runners will take their bodies to the physical and mental edge, replicating in four days what Kevin strived for during his life, exemplifying Kevin’s legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable will.

We hope you will visit  www.lifebackontrack.com  to learn more about this exciting run and how you can help.

Kevin’s Legacy

As an accomplished and experienced pole vaulter, Kevin James Dare loved to soar like an eagle. On February 23rd, 2002, Kevin, a sophomore at the Pennsylvania State University, was competing at the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships. Just before he went to make his first vault of the day, Kevin turned to his father, Ed, and said, “This is my day, Dad.” They were the last words that Kevin spoke before sprinting down the runway, planting his pole, and launching himself high into the sky.

Kevin died after hitting his head on the metal planting box where he had planted his pole for the jump.

After years of trying to further improve the safety mandates of the sport, prompting development and urging use of the world’s first approved pole vault –specific helmet, the world’s first SoftBox and trying to create awareness of the dangers and stricter safety standards needed for the sport, the Foundation realized that the true legacy of Kevin Dare could be found within how he lived his life, not just from the cause of the end of it.

With the ten year anniversary of Kevin’s passing, the Foundation is focusing its mission and fundraising efforts to help high school student athletes with debilitating injuries/illness, through financial scholarships, achieve their academic goals – the true legacy of Kevin Dare – a legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable spirit – to help others to get life…back on track.

The Kevin Dare “Life…Back On Track” Scholarship

This scholarship is intended for high school student athletes that have suffered a debilitating injury or illness (examples: cancer, catastrophic injury) to help them achieve their academic goals at a four-year academic institution.

Scholarship applications are due May 31st, 2012. Applications can be downloaded here.

Kevin was known for supporting the underdog and standing up for what he believed was right. He was fiercely competitive and a high achiever. His family and the Foundation hope that his legacy of integrity, inspiration, and indomitable spirit can serve to motivate student athletes who find themselves facing new challenges and obstacles that have interrupted the track their lives were on. Overcoming and conquering life-changing events, while still having the courage and determination to attain a four year degree, takes a strength of will, spirit, and integrity that will exemplify the recipient of this scholarship. The Foundation is acknowledging the hard work and incredible sacrifices already made by this individual and feel that the candidate deserves to have one more obstacle smoothed away in their pursuit of getting life…back on track.

The Kevin Dare Memorial Fund Scholarship

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors through the years, the Foundation is pleased to announce that The Kevin Dare Memorial Fund Scholarship is now endowed. Please see our most recent recipient of this scholarship under our News & Updates.

Pole Vault Safety – KD Max Pro Pole Vaulting Helmet

The Kevin Dare Foundation will continue to provide free helmets that they helped develop to athletes and schools that cannot afford them.

The Kevin Dare Heart of a Lion Award

In memory of Penn State pole vaulter Kevin Dare, the Penn State Track and Field staff would like to introduce a new way of honoring Kevin. The “Kevin Dare Heart of the Lion” Award is being created to promote courage, sportsmanship and leadership in track and field. Penn State Track and Field asks that each competing team/coaching staff that attend the Kevin Dare Invitational each January nominate an athlete for the award, one boy and one girl winner to be determined from the nominees. Criteria to consider (but is not limited to):

  • Athletic Accomplishments
  • Courage
  • Sportsmanship
  • Leadership
  • Academic Success

Benefit Info

The Life Back on Track Relay

Date: Sunday, August 26th, 2012 – Thursday, August 30th, 2012
Venue:University of Minnesota – Pennsylvania State University

www.lifebackontrack.com

Ten runners will attempt to run a 1000 mile relay World Record to celebrate Kevin’s life. From the vaulting pit at The University of Minnesota where Kevin lost his life, the runners will pass through six states on their way to The Pennsylvania State University, where Kevin grew up, went to school, and died proudly competing for.

The current World Record stands at 99 hours 3 minutes and 27 seconds. In honor of Kevin, and in the spirit of his competitiveness and ambition the runners will undertake a grueling non-stop schedule with the goal surpassing this time.

Join us at approximately 6pm on Thursday, 30th August, to cheer on the runners as they finish the last few miles of the race around the Penn State Track. Arrival time will be updated as the event draws closer!

The Kevin Dare Memorial Golf Tournament

Date: Monday, September 17, 2012
Venue: Penn State University Blue and White Golf Course

Save the date! Join us once again for the 7th annual Kevin Dare Memorial Golf Tournament. Enjoy a great day of golf, food, and fun, all while supporting our great cause.

Invitations and sign-up sheets will be mailed soon, or if you just can’t wait, contact Anne on 814.231.2249 to sign up.

The Kevin Dare Memorial Raffle

Date: October, 2012

$5 tickets are available to order from our office. Will be sold throughout the year, and available at the Penn State VS Navy Football game, September 15th.

The Kevin Dare Memorial High School Invitational

Date: Saturday, January 21, 2012
Venue: Horace Ashenfelter III Track at the Penn State Multisport Facility, State College PA

One of the most highly anticipated high school track meets in the Northeast, the Kevin Dare Memorial High School Invitational is an indoor track and field competition held every year in memory of Kevin.

The meet was held January 21st on the newly resurfaced Horace Ashenfelter III Track and Penn State University.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Kevin Dare Heart of a Lion award, Ryan Horgan of Holy Ghost Prep and Lizzy Shadle of Methacton High.

Full results from 2012 are available here.

News & Updates

Centre County Report

Runnerspace.com

David Monti wrote a great piece on the run too. Check it out here.

StateCollege.com

Check out an article by StateCollege.com here.

Helmet Giveaway

The Kevin Dare Foundation has a stockpile of pole-vault helmets that are available free to any college, high school, or independent track teams. Most recently we sent helmets to Central Dauphin. For more information or to place a request, please contact the Foundation.

Our Sponsors

2011 Presenting Sponsor

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Our Board

EDWARD K. DARE, III – Founder and Executive Director

President & CEO, Partners Financial Group (PFG), CLU,ChFC,CLTC
366 Walker Drive, Suite 100, State College, PA

As President & CEO of PFG, Ed Dare has 35 years of experience in the financial industry.  Since its inception in 1960, PFG has evolved into a powerful national financial services company with over 150 registered associates, including attorneys, financial planners, insurance experts, and accountants.  For more than 50 years, PFG has assisted Financial Advisors in designing and implementing comprehensive wealth and security strategies to help their clients accumulate, protect and transfer wealth.  While Ed’s primary responsibility is executive oversight of PFG, he currently works individually with a select group of clients throughout the United States providing comprehensive financial planning services. Ed is a Registered Principal with Walnut Street Securities, and a founding principal of PFG Financial Advisors, a federally registered Investment Adviser. He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 26, 63 and 65 registrations. Ed has served on several boards and held advisory positions with numerous corporate, institutional and non-profit organizations, including ARIS Corporation, the Centre County Community Foundation, the Kevin Dare Foundation, Representative Advisory Council to Walnut Street Securities and NASD (now FINRA). In addition, he has written numerous articles published within the financial services industry. He has been the recipient of the National Management Awards and the Master Agent Award from the National Association of Life Underwriters and the General Agent and Manager Association (GAMA), respectively. Prior to his association with PFG, Ed was a marketing Vice President for Prudential Insurance Company of America. He received Prudential’s highest award, the President’s Citation, five times. Ed received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Business Management from Temple University, as well as receiving a Master’s Degree in Financial Services from The American College Ed is the founder of The Kevin Dare Foundation and the father of Kevin Dare.

ERIC K. DARE , CFP®

Executive Vice President, PFG & Founding Principal, PFG Wealth Advisors, LLC
366 Walker Drive, Suite 100, State College, PA

In his capacity as the executive vice president of PFG, Eric heads PFG’s Risk Management and Qualified Plan Divisions, recruiting, and financial planning. In addition, he is responsible for the development of corporate growth strategies. He is heavily involved in associate study groups and offers guidance in case design and sales ideas. He is the Founder of PFG’s Professional Athlete Division, and is designated as a NFLPA Registered Player Financial Advisor.

Eric is Founding Principal of PFG Wealth Advisors, LLC, obtained his B.S. degree in Marketing from the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State University and holds the Series 7, 66 and Pennsylvania Accident, Life and Health licenses.

LAURIE A. SNEVE, CPA

CFO Coreland Companies, Inc.
17542 17th St # 420 Tustin, CA 92780

Laurie A. Sneve has been the Chief Financial Officer of Coreland Companies, Inc. since 2007 and has 25 years of experience in the real estate industry.  In her position at Coreland Companies Ms. Sneve is responsible for all financial operations of the company including oversight of the accounting department, human resources and information technology.  Prior to Coreland Companies, Ms. Sneve worked for Pan Pacific Retail Properties, Inc. (NYSE: PNP) as Vice President and Controller for over eleven years.  In her tenure with Pan Pacific she was responsible for overseeing SEC financial reporting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, including oversight of all Company internal controls, property accounting, audit, tax and information technology.  She was instrumental in the Company’s 1997 Initial Public Offering, subsequent issuances of equity and corporate senior notes and the acquisitions of Western Properties Trust in 2000 and Center Trust Inc. in 2003.  Prior to joining Pan Pacific, Ms. Sneve worked at The Hahn Company, an owner and operator of regional shopping centers, where she was Controller, Director of Accounting and Internal Audit Manager.  Ms. Sneve became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant during her tenure with Arthur Andersen & Company. She received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The Pennsylvania State University.  Ms. Sneve belongs to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

MICHAEL K. FARRELL

Executive Vice President, US Distribution, Metlife
10 Park Avenue, Morristown, NJ  07962

Michael K. Farrell is executive vice president for US Distribution, MetLife’s sales organization that provides products and services to millions of in dividuals and more than 60,000 employers across the US, including over 90 of the top one hundred FORTUNE 500® companies.  The division provides employee benefit and retirement solutions, insurance and other financial services through MetLife’s Employee Benefits Sales, Individual Distribution and third party distribution (through MetLife Investors) channels.  He also oversees the sales support functions and a team focused on the operations, sales and investment product management for MetLife’s four broker-dealers (MetLife Securities, New England Securities, Tower Square Securities, and Walnut Street Securitites).  Farrell has more than 36 years of experience in the financial services industry.  Prior to joining MetLife in May 2001, he was president of Michael K. Farrell Associates, Inc.  Founded in 1990, the firm specialized in corporate qualified retirement plans and retirement plans for not-for-profit organizations.  At the time of its sale to INC in 2001, the firm had over 1,500 clients.  Over the span of his career, Farrell has held the positions of president, Mutual Benefit Pension Corpoiration, and senior vice president, Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Coompany.  He served as national sales director for ReliaStar Retirement Plans, and as a member of the ReliaStar Enterprise Council.  Farrell  is active in community affairs and also serves as a board member of the Boys and Girls Club Life Camp.  He is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

RICK JACOBS, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA & CEO EB Jacobs
300 South Burrowes Street, State College, PA 16801 

Dr. Jacobs has been at PSU since 1979.  He holds a bachelor’s degeree from UCLA, a master’s degree from San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkely.  Dr. Jacobs has received several national awards for his work including the Ghiselli award for research excellence from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (1982), the Yoder-Heneman award for research from the Society for Human Resource Management (1992), the William Owens award for research from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (200), and the Robert McDonald advancement of organizational research methodology award from the Academy of Management (2010).  He has been awarded major research grants from the US Departments of Labor and Transportation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PNC Bank.  He is the author of over 50 research articles and book chapters and a fellow in the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society.  Dr. Jacobs is a Senior Fellow at the Justice and Safety Institute, a member of the Schreyer Honors College Distinguished Faculty, and on the Board of Advisors for the Presidential Leadership Academy.  He developed and leads the PNC Bank Leadership Assessment Center where each year, 48 students from the Schreyer Honors College, Presidential Leadership Academy and Bunton-Waller Scholars are assessed through a full-day business simulation.

As head of EB Jacobs, a consulting firm specializing in selection and assessment, Dr. Jacobs sets strategic vision for the company, consults with private and public sector organizations on the design of selection and appraisal systems, and works with them on matters of fair employment.  Prior to forming EB Jacobs, he was Vice President of Consulting, North America, for SHL, a worldwide consulting organization operating in 40 countries.  In that capacity, he was responsible for the 40 consultants operating in 7 offices in the US and Canada.  He was also part of the international research initiative at SHL and worked with clients on developing assessment programs that could succeed across geographic and cultural boundaries.