Strides 4 Kids

This last weekend was the day of the big race! Tyler and I, and many other SLU medical students and friends have spent the last 6 months planning and preparing a 5K race. We held it in towergrove park and it was a SUCCESS!!! This was a HUGE and very stressful but rewarding event.

I've always enjoyed running and after hearing Tyler comment about a once upon a time medical student who put on 5k run for charity, I couldn't get the idea out of my head. I thought that we could do something like that and that it wouldn't be so hard. Pick a charity, a location, advertise, and host the event. No big deal, right?! Well was I ever wrong!!!

We invested many hours of most days to putting the event together. We were so LUCKY to have great friends want to be a part of such an event and together we went to work. We first choose for our proceeds to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Our experience with Ashton has created a special spot in our hearts for sick children and their families and this would be a small way we could help others in need.

We put together letters to give to potential sponsors. We solicited almost 100 companys and recieved awesome prizes to use in a raffle but very little money. We were nervous about how we fund the raise and began to advertise at many other races, schools, community boards, etc. When the race was only a month away, a professor at the med school heard what we were doing and a Strides 4 Kids interest group was created and we recieved funding to cover many of our costs. We would have proceeds after all! We made flyers, held an icecream fundraiser night at a local icecream parlor, hosted our own website, made T-shirts and attended to the details of race day. It was down right work and we learned a lot about what it was like to be a leader and a manger. It was a hard lesson but one that will benefit us as parents as well as our callings in church.

On race day, Tyler was in Biloxi working with the Air Force. It was so unfortunate for him to not see the fruits of our labors because they were sweet. It was hectice but over a 120 runners came out to support the event. My favorite part was having two children suffering from cancer come down to our event and cheer on the runners. They had such wonderful attitudes and it was great to see their beautiful spirits and sweet smiles. After the race was over we held the raffle and those two kids announced and handed out the raffle prizes. Other than the a man collapsing by our pavillion and having a Ambulance come to aid this man (who apparently was walking through the park, had a seizure, and became disoriented) the event went smoothly. It was great to have over but rewarding to know that we were successful and would be of some help to those in need.

I have to give a special thanks to Jeremy and Ashley Timm and Aaron and Angela Robinson. We COULD NOT have done it without you! Overall we raised over $3,600! We look forward to having this event continue on the future and hope to double our proceeds next year.