By Michael Hollingshead
Residents and students who like to run can do so with a greater purpose in mind this weekend.
Run 4 RAH, a 5K fundraiser run organized by five BYU business students, is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at Provo City Exchange Park located at 900 North 700 West in Provo.
The proceeds from the run will go to Recreation and Habilitation Services, a non-profit program that helps educate and facilitate disabled people.
Katie Beveridge, a junior from Highland one of the students who organized the run, said the idea was began as an assignment for one of her business classes.
“As we worked on it more and more, I”ve really come to enjoy doing this and it”s given me a lot more experience than before,” said Beveridge, 21, majoring in finance. “It got us really excited to have (RAH) talk to us about the services that they provide for disabled people.”
The run will start at Provo City Exchange Park and will follow the Provo River trail northbound before turning around at another park and ending back at the Exchange Park.
“It”s a good way to support your community and have fun at the same time,” Beveridge said. “(RAH) helps people who are in pursuit of independence and they train them. I think that is a worthy cause.”
Thanks to a $500 donation from University Villa Apartments, the students have been able to organize and cover the expenses for the run.
Beveridge said there will be door prizes for participants.
Organizers are hoping for attendance of about 100 runners. Currently there are 80 people registered.
“I”ve interacted with disabled people before, and it”s just a really great cause,” Beveridge said. “Especially if you want a chance to impact people”s lives.”
As a part of their organizational effectiveness course, BYU business students are assigned to do a project for a non-profit organization.
Beveridge said they looked at a few different possibilities before deciding to help RAH with the run.
“They had another group do a run for them before, but we decided this would be the best for us,” Beveridge said. “I hope people will come support the disabled people.”
Cheryl Adamson, assistant director of RAH, said the program will have some of its staff at the race, including one member who will be running.
“We have a lot of simple projects students can do with RAH, but the 5K is one of the more involved ones,” Adamson said. “We hold our own RAH walk each year, but this is the second time students have done a 5K fundraiser for us.”
Adamson said the 5K run from last year raised nearly $1,400.
“As far as I can see, this group is on target for that or exceeding that.”
Pre-registration for the run is $10 and can be done online at http://rahservices.tripod.com.
Registration at the park is $15 and begins an hour before the 9 a.m. starting time.
