Give Kids The World Race Draws 350 Participants

by Juanita Chavarro Arias

Renee Clarke, senior employer relations manager at Greenheart Exchange, has long admired Give Kids The World and its mission, especially after seeing President and CEO Pam Landwirth speak about the organization through the years at IAAPA Expo’s Kickoff Event. This year, she decided to participate in the “IAAPA Footprints from the Heart 5K Run/1 Mile Walk Benefiting Give Kids The World Village” for the first time with her Greenheart colleague Kaitlyn Peters.

“I’m really honored that this is our first time doing it,” Clarke said. “At Greenheart, we volunteer a lot, but we don’t usually get to see the people that are directly impacted. I have goosebumps and am so psyched to see the Village and the families.”

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Give Kids The World’s partnership with IAAPA, the event drew the largest number of participants yet.

“Three hundred and fifty of you got up bright and early on a week where you’ve probably already put in a hundred miles over at the convention center, and you’re willing to come out here and do another three miles-plus, so thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Landwirth said to the crowd of energetic runners and walkers.
Jeff Hudson, chair of the committee behind the events supporting Give Kids The World, thanked Russell Allison, who is stepping down as co-chair of the event, for eight years of service. Allison and co-chair Trevor Knoebel then announced the top three fundraising individuals and teams. Patrick Kling with Nickelodeon received the award for top individual fundraiser, and Betson won the award for first-place fundraising team.
“I’m so proud of our group,” said Catherine Algra, director of financial services for Betson. “I’ve been wanting to do it for a couple of years and was trying to get a small group of people to do it, and we decided why not try to get the whole team. I had no idea we’d get so many people. I think we have 45 participants.”

First-time participant Katrina Funnell, financial director of Fahr Industries, was the first-place female finisher, and Filippo Sbalchiero, sales manager with Zamperla, was the first-place male runner.

“It’s a 5K, but the purpose is much bigger,” Sbalchiero said. “We love to support Give Kids The World and are more than happy to participate.”

Give Kids The World Raffle Ticket Winners: