| Monday, March 30, 2009 |
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Run for the Orphans set to take off April 4
By Nireesh @ 10:15 AM :: 265 Views ::
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The run, for both kids and adults, will have two parts, both starting at Seton Catholic School, 6923 Stow Road.
A kids run is slated for 8:30 a.m. The adult 4-mile run begins at 9 a.m.
Orphanages in Zambia, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda and Honduras will benefit from the run, along with Berea Christian Children's Home.
"We started this event with an idea in the fall of 2007 that we put on a race to benefit others, sponsored by Seton Catholic School," said Nick Villanti, race director.
The committee consisted of Villanti and two other Seton parents and had the full support of the Seton administration and staff, he said.
"I went to this group with the idea to put on a race in Seton's name, and we as a team thought this would be a great way to help our sister orphanage, the Children of Ubumi," Villanti said. "We raised over $2,000 last year in the first year of the event, which is very difficult to do in the first year of anything and is a testament to the Seton and the supporting Hudson community."
Villanti said "most of the registration moneys go directly to the Children of Ubumi."
"We invited five other orphanages to participate in the run by including them on the back page of the registration form and having them talk to their supporters to raise funds," Villanti said.
He said a new feature of the race is the two-person relay option "where friends or family members can team up to form a relay, with each leg being two miles."
The committee also consists of Shelley Frew, who was on the original committee, and Penny Frese, who is a trustee with the Children of Ubumi orphanage in Kitwe, Zambia.
"We are amazed [at] how far relatively small donations go in a third world country," Frese said. "Direct support of these orphanages through this run eliminates overhead costs and allows for personal contact, greater efficiency and accountability."
The run is sponsored by Seton Catholic School and Vertical Runner. The benefiting orphanages are sponsored by St. Mary Church in Hudson, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, and two local independent sponsors: Children of Ubumi and Children's Home of Hope in Ghana.
Frese said she hopes the event helps to "celebrate the blessings of family life and good health while raising awareness of the needs of orphans and vulnerable children."
She added that while the event is geared to raise funds for orphanages sponsored by local organizations, it will also "give a face to our charity by connecting with people we can know and who can know us."
Registration is $20 for adults, $10 for kids and $25 for the relay race. Awards will be presented in a variety of age categories. Runners can register online at active.com (key words: Run for the Orphans Hudson) or at Vertical Runner in Hudson. |
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