The UW Engineers Without Borders will host their fifth annual Run Josh Run 24-hour run/walk to raise funds for building a dormitory for children in Kenya on Friday, April 26 at the Louis Madrid Sports Complex in Laramie.
Engineers Without Borders hopes to pass last year’s mark of $4,800 dollars raised by raising more than $7,000 this year. Individuals can pledge a certain amount of money per lap ran (1/4 a mile) or can donate direct amounts.
The event is named after a former UW student named Josh Fuller who combined his passion for long distance running with his concern for human welfare and led in the creation of this event. A visit to Kenya sparked Fuller’s passion about the area, said Engineers Without Borders Treasurer Dan Larson.
Based on eye opening observations experienced in Kenya, Engineers Without Borders decided to begin a program to help out this community in Kenya.
“A lot of the people in Kenya would be walking anywhere from 10-50 miles one way just to get water for the day or for a couple days,” said Larson.
People in this Kenyan community may have to walk 100 miles or more per day to just get water and Engineers Without Borders will attempt to symbolize this daily struggle for Kenyans by having one runner go 100 miles in 24 hours during the event.
Larson, a former student athlete at the University of Northern Colorado, is that runner who is setting out to achieve this goal.
This particular community in Kenya has been greatly stricken by HIV/AIDS, said Engineers Without Borders Kenya Program Manager Jon Herrboldt.
“We are working with children who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS or have had one of their parents succumb to that ailment as well, so one of the main issues at the school at the moment is that out of the 120 plus students that attend the school more than half of those students call the school home,” Herrboldt said.
Herrboldt said that Engineers Without Borders is working with this community to help improve the infrastructure and standard of living for these school children.
The dormitory is not the only project Engineers Without Borders in working on in this Kenyan community, Herrboldt said.
“There is the possibility of a water project with installing a well or some other water system to provide clean water to the school which is an issue right now,” said Herrboldt.
Not everyone is going to want to go the 24 hours only running, so Olive Garden will be catering at the event along with local businesses and concession stands will also be available.
Other activities include trivia, poker and various games. The event will also include a team competition involving running the most laps and raising the most funds in the 24 hour period. Winners of these challenges will receive prizes and T-Shirts will be for sale.
