A small, all-volunteer B.C.-based charity is looking for runners, walkers and wheelchair users to participate in the 10 km 2022 virtual Vancouver Sun Run.
Kenya Education Endowment Fund (KEEF) will provide publicity and seek donations supporting the 100-plus high school students and 35 post-secondary students whose education it funds in Kenya, where high school is not free.
“We have a team of runners and walkers in Kenya participating and hope to recruit more individuals and teams of volunteers across Canada for 2022,” said volunteer Shelagh Armour-Godbolt.
Islanders can participate as individuals, join the Parksville team (while participating in their own community), or form a local team of their own (minimum eight participants), according to Armour-Godbolt.
Parksville’s Help KEEF Help Kids team ran last year and plans to participate again this year, according to volunteer Janice Trenholme. “We invite volunteers across the Island to join us,” said Trenholme.
Individual early bird registration is $30 until Jan. 31st, and then $40. Teams can register for $30 each until mid-February. Teams and individuals can run at a location and day of their choice from April 15–24.
The annual Vancouver Sun Run has attracted tens of thousands of participants for decades and is Canada’s largest street race. Cancelled due to COVID in 2020, it returned as a virtual event in 2021.
All donations will receive tax-deductible receipts and all funds raised will directly support the needs of the students, according to Armour-Godbolt.
To learn more about KEEF’s work in Kenya, volunteering individually for the virtual run in your community, setting up your own team, or the fee subsidy, contact Armour-Godbolt at shelaghag@shaw.ca or 1-604-415-9397.
To discuss joining the existing Island team (Help KEEF Help Kids), while participating in your own Island community, contact Trenholme at jtrenholme@telus.net or 250-954-3446.
