Dollars raised help young girls, women attend college
Published in the April 2 – 15, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo courtesy Susan Brazelton
Travis Finucane came in first place in the 5K stroller/baby jogger category with a time of 20:27 in last year’s Wildflower Run.
On your marks, get set, go and raise scholarship money for the Morgan Hill branch of the American Association of University Women by running April 13 in the 31st annual Wildflower Run. Proceeds from the popular sporting event held at Live Oak High School helps the AAUW with its mission of advancing “equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.”
The Wildflower Run has a USATF-certified 10K race, an option to do a 5K as a run, a walk or with a stroller, and a 2K kids run around the Live Oak track.
With 80 entries when it was inaugurated last year, racing with toddlers in a stroller in a 5K race was such a popular event that the AAUW will give out first, second and third-place medals and prizes for the top three men and the top three women this year, said Elizabeth Mandel, an organizer of the race.
“Last year, we only provided top-three overall medals, not anticipating that the men would run away with the prizes,” she said. “Entrants will again receive both a run T-shirt for themselves and a specially-designed bonus baby-tee for their tot.”
This year’s Wildflower Run will give runners the opportunity to pick up their race packet, including race number bibs and T-shirts, the day before the event April 12 between 11 am and 2 pm at The Running Shop, located at 16999 Monterey Road Suite D. Call (650) 576-7466 for information.
“We have so many families with young children in our 2K Run and 5K Stroller events, we anticipate this will be particularly convenient for them, as they then won’t have to arrive quite as early Sunday morning,” Mandel said. “All runners are welcome to come Saturday and beat the Sunday morning rush.”
A favorite part of the race for many runners is the Finish Fest where they can mingle in the Live Oak High School sports field at the end of the race, said AAUW member Yvonne Duckett.
“One of our major sponsors, Jamba Juice, is there to provide you with a cool and healthy juice beverage,” she said. “Friendly AAUW volunteers pass out trail mix snacks and plenty of water. The Finish Fest is a place to enjoy your accomplishment in a relaxed and nourishing environment.”
Money raised from the Wildflower Run has helped the AAUW send eight seventh-grade girls to Tech Trek, a math and science summer camp at Stanford and make an additional donation for new computers. It also provided funds for scholarships that were presented to four graduating high school seniors and three scholarships to women reentering college after an absence, as well as providing seven supplemental scholarships to previous recipients.
For Wildflower Run details and registration, go to www.WildflowerRun.org.
