ELAINE HELLER, an 11 year old footer from Michigan, was selected as the September 2002 Footer of the Month.

Summer is slipping away quickly and we'll all soon be back in our drysuits.  Well, at least most of us will.  Check out this story and see if you have the guts to match the determination of this 11 year old this winter:

Dear Chuck:

Hare are the pictures I promised you.  The lad in the blue dry suit is my 17 year old son Cody.  He's just like every other manly man on the web page - all bundled up toasty and warm.  The real "tough guy" i this deal is my 11 year old daughter Elaine.  She didn't want to wear her dry sut even though there was still ice floating in the water because she didn't want to look wimpy. 

The third picture above show Elaine barefooting in the Wisconsin State Show Ski Tournament with a broken wrist.  The green thing on her arm is an elbow to thumb cast.  Fortunately, the doctor left the fingers out so she could grip the rope.  She broke her wrist on July 3rd.  We had just spent the day with Lane Bowers at Rob Cail's place in Minnesota.  That evening we drove to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to put on a show and the 4-high pyramid fell out from underneath her at the end of the show.  The cast went on 2 weeks later and she was bock to barefooting 2 days after that.  Now, if you don't agree that she make the other winter footers look a little mild, just tell me where to send that beer I promised you.

Thanks, Blake Heller

Well Blake, I agree, Elaine has tougher, or should I say, more insane, than all of the footers I know, me included.  And congratulations Elaine, your tenacity and love of barefooting is why we selected you as as the September  Footer of the Month.  You are now eligible to become the 2002 Footer of the Year.  See you at Nationals!

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