Running for Good
Photo by Kekka
Pretty much every race out there has a charity connected to it. Montgomery has a fair share of them, from the Joy to Life’s annual Walk of Life, to the chilly Jingle Bell run for Arthritis in December, to the brand new Shamrock Shuffle coming up next weekend to raise funds for the Montgomery Junior League. Running gives us a great opportunity to give back to communities. You can pick an event based on a charity you love, or you can feel extra proud of the miles you run when part of your race dues go back to help people.
A very special charity race popped up out of nowhere last night. A post showed up in my Facebook feed about a race kickoff at the Aviator Bar on Commerce Street. I hadn’t heard of the race so I did some research and discovered that this was a run/bike relay event organized by the Air Command Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base. The event raises funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Participants, who are all members of the Air Force or their friends and family, will run or bike in nine teams from Maxwell Air Force Base (Montgomery, AL) to MacDill Air Force Base (Tampa, FL). They will cover 465 miles in 48 hours.
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation states on its web site:
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is a top-rated nonprofit organization that supports the military’s special operations forces and their families through three programs:
– College Scholarships for the surviving children of fallen Special Operations Forces
– Family Services, including educational counseling
– Wounded Special Operations Forces Support
The ACSC Relay Facebook page explains that they have a primary goal to raise $100 for every mile they travel ($46,500) and a secondary goal to double down and for the return miles and bring in a total of $93,000. You can learn more and donate on their event page.
Yesterday evening as the sun was setting outside Aviator Bar over 60 Air Force athletes arrived after a three mile jaunt from the base to Commerce Street. The men and women in their bright yellow race shirts were joyful but someone serious and perhaps a little nervous about the miles they were about to undertake. When Mayor Todd Strange fired gun start and the first bike team took off to begin the journey, I was very, very proud of Montgomery and the amazing people that live here, especially the heroic men and women of our military community.
You can follow the relay on their Facebook page as they post pictures and updates from the road. Here’s wishing them all a safe and successful event!
Meg Lewis is a runner and cupcake baker who resides a smidge outside of the bypass. She regularly makes her rounds through downtown and midtown Montgomery evaluating the beer selections, live musical performances and the social atmosphere of local establishments in the company of a small and close-knit group of fabulous people.
Recent Comments