Foundation fellow.

Sometimes the path to charitable giving runs in a straight line. Sometimes it starts at the bottom of a mud pit.

At a chili-making contest, Tampa attorney Andy Spicola made a commitment: He would wake up the following morning, journey with me to Hi Hat Ranch in Sarasota, and, without any prior training, complete the Tough Mudder-a 12-mile obstacle course/mud run.

At the two-and-a-half mile mark, a crimson-faced Andy confessed that he was closing in on the longest run he had ever completed in his life-three miles. I reminded him that we had another 10 miles to go. When he opened a gash on his forehead on a random iceberg in a large vat of ice water participants had to wade through, I thought it was over.

Andy assured me that he would finish if it killed him. It almost did.

He finally crossed the finish and limped wearily to the outdoor shower area. When he began to strip down, it seemed to me an opportune time to capture a few photos of Andy, and those photos seemed too precious to keep from several of our mutual friends.

He could not have known that his pal and local trial attorney Dan Clark had shipped off a photo of a partially clothed, mud-covered Andy Spicola so that it could be turned into a life-sized wall decal. He also could not have known that his Tough Mudder experience would eventually help fund legal services for some of Florida's poorest citizens through a lifetime pledge taken by our mutual friend.

A week and a half later, when the Spicolas held their Annual White Elephant Party, Dan shared his gift with the other participants. Not only would the recipient receive a...