Youth running program teaches healthy living, funds low-income runners
on November 27, 2018
On October 27, the nonprofit organization Running for a Better Oakland (RBO) held its biggest fundraiser of the year with a run throughout Oakland’s seven districts, a 5K race around Lake Merritt and an after-run party that included a silent auction.
The organization, which was started 9 years ago, aims to coach students from kindergarten to 12th grade to run and to have a better understanding of how to maintain a healthier lifestyle. The majority of the participants are from low-income households and have never been trained to run long distances.
Founder and board member Tod Vedock led the first run with volunteers in the morning. More than 120 students signed up to run the 5K race held later that afternoon. By the end of the day, the organization raised over $38,000, which will be spent in 2019 for running shoes, T-shirts, race entry fees and transportation for all student participants, as well as scholarship grants for college-bound 12th graders.
Click the video above to see more from the day.
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