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Our Founder
Welcome to GENERATION HOPE! I am very proud to be a part of all that has
been accomplished to date! Through much hard work and with the help of
people like you we will surely meet and exceed all of our goals. As you
explore this web site, you will soon discover what is so special about
our mission. Thank you for your support, and don’t forget to hug the
kids that are close to you everyday!
Denny's Adventures
Pennsylvania Bike & Hike >>
Denny Carries The Olympic Torch >>
Biography
Through countless motivational presentations to schools, businesses and community groups, Denny Chipollini has shared his courageous personal stories to inspire his audiences to discover their unlimited potential, to accept and celebrate differences in themselves and in others, to use their differences to make a difference, and to live their lives according to his motto of “No Excuses…No Limits!”. With a captivating and inspiring presence, Denny shows how to “lose the excuses” in life to reconnect with the dreamer in each of us and unlock the unlimited possibility in our lives.
Denny tells his audiences that “riches and wealth can often come in a different and more meaningful way than monetary. Life throws us things and it’s up to us to use what happens in a positive manner. We all have the choice and power to recognize adversity as life’s gift and to use the ‘advantage of adversity’ to help others and in turn we will be using our lives to the fullest.” To connect his audience with their own gifts, Denny immerses them in his inspiring and moving personal story of confronting and overcoming a variety of adversity. Denny shares how he survived a serious car accident that severed both his legs. Doctors reattached both legs, but 15 surgeries later his reattached left leg was amputated due to massive infection. But Denny refers to his accident and leg as “gifts” because these events helped him change his life for the better and tap into his unlimited potential. Four years after his accident and after being told he would never walk again, Denny ran his first five kilometer race with the use of a prosthetic leg and continues to challenge himself by running marathons. In addition to running marathons to
help share and inspire others with what he has learned in life since his accident, Denny also founded a non-profit organization called Generation Hope Fund in August 2001 with the mission of “inspiring and educating children and adults of all ages to overcome adversity and accept diversity and to live life with ‘No Excuses…No Limits!’” Yet the driving inspiration for Generation Hope is Denny’s son, Nicholas. Shortly after running that first 5K race, Denny and his wife learned their son had an incurable genetic disorder, Neurofibromatosis (NF), along with Tourette, ADHD and learning disabilities. This additional personal setback as well as the bullying and teasing Nicholas has endured because of differences from his disorders inspired Denny to share his story and attempt to motivate others and educate the public about childhood disorders, diseases and disabilities, and to show kids of all ages there are No Excuses for bullying and No Limits to accepting and learning from others.
In May 2002, Denny successfully walked and biked over 400 miles across the state of Pennsylvania to share Generation Hope’s message and his message of perseverance and hope, and to model for kids and the country what it means to take action in your life to help others (it was also his way of not just talking the talk but also literally walking the walk!). Denny has also been fortunate enough to receive many honors including: United Parcel Service’s Community Service Award in 2000; Ford Motor Company's National Blue Oval “Commitment to Kids” Award in 2001; Distinguished Graduate Award in 2002 in Humanities from Plymouth Whitemarsh High School from which he is a graduate. Denny is also featured in Montel Williams' book, A Dozen Ways to Sunday, and was a guest on the Montel Show in December 2001, the same month in which he ran with the Olympic Torch in Philadelphia and he then carried the 2002 Paralympic Torch in Utah.
Denny’s motivational talks with kids in schools and with adults in organizations and groups helps him fulfill his commitment to making a positive difference for ‘kids of all ages’ by letting them see through his experiences what it means for one person to overcome adversity which we all face in one degree or another, by sharing with them the importance of accepting and celebrating diversity in themselves and others, and by motivating others to believe in themselves to achieve worthwhile goals and to find the hero within themselves. Denny remains committed to sharing with as many people as he can his experiences so they can find ways to connect with the compassionate and inspired side of life without having to go through a tragedy to get their priorities straight!
Denny and Generation Hope Fund are also developing educational programs and Camp Hope to help kids live the mission of Generation Hope Fund every day! These programs will promote the positive attitudes and choices essential to build a life of self awareness and confidence, compassion, fulfillment, and will help kids and adults alike lose their excuses and live their dreams!
Denny's Story In Pictures
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