Lindenwood - Winter 2017 - Connecting to Alumni and Friends

He has now done the race five times, most recently last summer, in which he completed it in roughly 74 hours. What’s more, he has used his participation in the race as a fundraising tool for the Heart Transplant Association of St. Louis, an organization for which he now serves as president, and for the Casey Ann Hohman Memorial Association, which helps out-of-town transplant patients and their families with temporary housing. In the five years he has been doing the MR340, he has raised $20,000 for the two organizations. For 16 years, Arington has worked at Dismas House, a halfway house in North St. Louis for federal inmates. During most of that time, he has been director. “We see them in the last part of their sentence,” Arington said. “We’re sort of the training wheels and work to get them back into the community—reconnect with their families, find employment…” This fall, he was back on campus; and said he couldn’t believe how much it had grown; during his time at Lindenwood, he lived in one of the now-long-gone trailers on the south end of campus. “Lindenwood was important to me for several years, and most of the staff were extremely helpful during a difficult time in my life,” Arington said. “I am thankful for all of the good people at our school.” Arington said his future plans include organizing a spring 2018 cross-state bicycle ride on the Katy Trail from Machens to Clinton, or about 238 miles. The ride will be open to participants and will serve as a fundraiser for the Heart Transplant Association and the Hohman Association. “I’m amazed that I’m here and am able to do these things,” he said. “I’m just thankful.” For the HTA, Arington visits patients at Barnes Hospital who have just had heart transplant surgery. “I tell them what to expect,” Arington said. “At that moment, they’re not feeling very good. When they realize I had a transplant, it sort of wakes them up. Before I had the surgery, I had no clue I would be able to do anything like this again. You’ve got to make the most of the second chances you get.” 13 CAMPUS NEWS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS LINDENWOOD SPORTS ALUMNI EVENTS AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES LINDENWOOD Winter 2017 The first time I took it on the river was terrifying. By race day (in August), I felt like I was ready.” Anthony Arington “ Three weeks after his surgery, Arington and Bailey completed a 5K race at Lindenwood. Arington with his dog, Bailey, a few hours before his surgery. In August Anthony Arington competed in the MR340 kayak race for the fifth time since having heart transplant surgery in 2012.