Special Features - Run For Water May 2014

Abbotsford News Wednesday, May 28, 2014 A15

ENVISION FINANCIAL RUN FOR WATER

AN AMAZING $1.1 MILLION RAISED IN THE FIRST SEVEN YEARSSponsors, teachers, students, runners all play a role in pushing fundraising into the seven fi gure territory for local event

By Ken Baerg

“Gratitude” is the word that comes to mind when I refl ect upon the amazing success of this year’s Envision Financial Run for Water. As a member of the Run for Water Society, the non-profi t, volunteer group that plans and executes a series of programs and events culminating in this last weekend’s run, I have come to realize what a privilege it is to play a small role in making a difference in our community and in our world. There is gratitude for the abundance we enjoy in our City; there is gratitude for our physical bodies and being able to express ourselves through physical exertion; and there is gratitude for people – for the sharing of their presence and their resources. Some of these can be fl eshed out a little further…

It is hard not to be grateful for over four thousand, two hundred participants from around the province and country who targeted the 2014 Envision Financial Run For Water as their event of choice. And for most, it’s not just another run on the calendar. People tell us they come to participate because it is one of the best-executed events around with a cause that inspires.

It is hard not to be grateful for the team of 16 ultra-marathon runners, including ultra-

PARTICIPATION NUMBERS: MARATHON = 244 / HALF MARATHON = 552 / 10K = 1053 / 5K = 2316 / TOTAL = 4165

RUN FOR WATERSTART

expeditionist Ray Zahab. The Run For Water Ultra group collectively raised more than $30,000 in funds for clean water projects and covered a gruelling 53km course in a team – based run for the cause on Saturday.

It is hard not to be grateful for over 400 volunteers who freely gave of their time to direct runners, hand out food and medals, provide medical attention where needed, scoop ice cream and hand out coffee, among many other duties.

It is hard not to be grateful for our incredible group of sponsors – too vast to name here – who lend time, expertise and funds to make this event what it is.

It is hard not to be grateful for my Run For Water colleagues – staff and board member who dedicate thousands of hours of time each year to draw in sponsor partners, strategically market the event, encourage people to fundraise, and to inspire thousands of kids to become sensitive and compassionate global citizens. For all of us, it is a unique, one-of-a-kind opportunity.

Finally, it is hard not to be grateful for the privileged lives we lead in this city and in this country, where access to water doesn’t dominate our existence, like it does for nearly one billion people on our planet. In time wouldn’t it be amazing if our efforts were no longer necessary? Wouldn’t it be great to learn that the imbalances that exist in our world had been remedied and that the issues surrounding access to clean water had been alleviated? Until then, the efforts to bring clean water to those in need must continue.

This year, the generosity of everyone involved lead to a sum of over $250,000 being earmarked for clean water projects in southern Ethiopia – more than $1.1 million in seven years – funds that change lives. The initiative to provide clean water to people in need is a movement! In 2015, we hope you plan to “run with it”!

A16 Abbotsford News Wednesday, May 28, 2014

RUN FOR WATER PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO LOWER MAINLAND SCHOOLSBy Betty Baerg

2014 has been an exciting year of learning and opportunity for participants of the Envision a Better World: Learn, Create, Run school program. The school program was launched in January with a teacher information session at the Reach Gallery where more than 50 teachers from K-12 signed up to enhance their students global citizenship education for the year.

During March break, the Run for Water Society partnered with Hope International Development Agency in Ethiopia to lead a group of 8 local teachers and 1 secondary student on a trip of a lifetime to Addis Ababa and Southern Ethiopia to witness the water crisis and the impact our fundraising dollars are having on thousands of people there.

Immediately following the trip, leadership students from local middle and high schools attended H2O: Youth Leadership Forum, sponsored by Envision Financial at the Abbotsford Arts Centre, our fi rst annual event that provides a stage for youth to speak – and entertain – their peers with an inspiring message of being agents of change in the global water crisis as well as anywhere else they identify injustice in the world.

Many of the students who attended H2O formed leadership groups at their schools to plan assemblies,

school-based runs or “empathy walks” and other fundraisers. 33 schools from Vancouver to Agassiz hosted running events this year, and in most cases, several students carried full jerry cans of water for long distances to experience the plight of young girls in Ethiopia. In every case, they were keen to share the insights they learned, typically citing how much more gruelling it was than expected and they could be quoted to say they would much rather be in school than having to make a daily trek of this nature.

The Run for Water Society continues to be inspired and amazed by the passion and dedication of local children and youth! Money continues to trickle in, but as of Monday, local students have raised more than $65,000 in 2014 through school and individual fundraising efforts. Enough to bring clean water to 1,857 children in the villages of Gezesso, Yella and Chosha. Many kids shared their fundraising idea on the Make a Splash Campaign page and fi ve winners were selected at this year’s Envision Financial Run for Water event.

Awards were presented to Colleen & Gordie Howe Middle for School Spirit (80 students registered to run on May 25th and every class was involved in school fundraising) and to Abbotsford Christian Elementary for Top Fundraising School as they raised $12,032. Additionally, our annual Educator’s 10K Challenge winners were Margaret Stenersen Elementary’s Sylvie Ingram (45:52) and King Traditional Elementary’s Darcy Lainchbury (40:34). The Run for Water Society wishes to thank and congratulate all teachers and students for their exceptional efforts!

MARATHON RYAN PRACHNAU / TIME 2:39:08

HALF MARATHON DAVID JACKSON / TIME 1:08:17

HALF MARATHON LISA ZIMMER / TIME 1:20:36

MARATHON RIKA HATACHI / TIME 3:11:13

Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley

HALF MARATHON FINISHER

Event photos by Duane Bradley

RYAN PRACHNAU AND DAVID JACKSON THE MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON WINNERS (BOTH FROM ABBOTSFORD)

“LOCAL STUDENTS HAVE RAISED OVER $65,000 IN 2014!”

RANDALL PETERS WITH INDIANA LETKEMANN

VOLUNTEERS CLAYBURN DRUMLINE

Abbotsford News Wednesday, May 28, 2014 A17

10K JEREMIAH JOHNSTON / TIME 32:53

10K ALEXANDRA SIEMERS / TIME 38:48

5K WESTON TOPPOZINI / TIME 18:59

5K KARA WISMER / TIME 20:18

ULTRA FINISHER BARRY RATZLAFF PICKED UP WORLD-RENOWNED ULTRA RUNNER RAY ZAHAB

VANCOUVER’S MARISSA CAPELINSKI AND ABBOTSFORD’S JEN HOCKNEY

ULTRA-BIG FUN IN THE RUN FOR WATER 52 K ULTRA MARATHON

“COME ON BIG MAN. YOU’RE GOING TO DO THIS!”

By Michelle Watrin

Event photos by Menno Koehoorn, Ken Baerg

Many may believe the words fun and ultra-marathon do not belong together. But several of the 17 runners in the 2014 Run for Water Ultra Marathon would disagree. While pushing people beyond their mental and physical boundaries, the team atmosphere on the 52-kilometre run is always full of camaraderie and support. Led by world-renowned ultra-runner Ray Zahab, the annual assemblage prides itself on working to cross the fi nish line together.

Bodybuilder and local personal trainer Barry Ratzlaff, known as the “joint whisperer” to his clients, committed to the ultra-marathon one year ago. “I was at a celebration party for the Run for Water Society last year (his wife Jana is on the board of directors). Ray challenged me to run the ultra this year, and I thought ‘oh that silly run of yours. That’s funny.’ I had only run a 10K prior to that. But when something intimidates me, I just go and do it. So I accepted the challenge.”

In the fi rst few kilometres of the ultra on Saturday morning, a banter between ultra-runner Pete

Schofi eld and Ratzlaff began. Schofi eld began yelling, “Run, Forrest, Run!” to which Ratzlaff answered while speeding to a short sprint, “But I have to get Bu--bba!” referring to a scene in the movie ‘Forrest Gump’. This helped lighten the atmosphere for the group. But around the 40k point, things got tough for Ratzlaff, whose 260-pound frame is not typical of an ultra runner. Zahab kept yelling, “Come on big man. You’re going to do it!”

Ratzlaff explains, “That was the main thing that got me through – the group of people who wouldn’t let me quit. Some of them had done it before, so I knew it could be done. I had also visited a friend the week before battling brain cancer. I thought of her in the hospital bed and realized that she was really suffering and my pain was only temporary.” When Ratzlaff crossed the

fi nish line, “it was a feeling of joy, relief and love from my family and friends.”

On the other side of things the ultra runners were asked to raise $1500 each in order to qualify for the ultra-marathon. Many, like Edwin Palsma and Nikki Scott raised much more. “It changed the way I look at fundraising,” said Scott. “I was surprised at the amount people were giving. I know from now on I will be more generous in my own giving.” The group raised more than $30,000 that was a big chunk of the $253,000 of the weekend’s fundraising efforts.

Ray Zahab has committed to come back every year to lead a group of ultra runners. “The Run for Water is hands – down the best charity run per capita in all of Canada. I will be back every year there are people wianting to challenge themselves to run the ultra.”

Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley Photo by Duane Bradley

THOR (BARRY RATZLAFF) MAKING THE GROUND SHAKE!

A18 Abbotsford News Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Ray ZahabULTRA ADVENTURER

Dr. Reg PetersMEDICAL DIRECTORPaul O’CallaghanRACE ANNOUNCERDimitri ApostolopoulosVOLUNTEER COORDINATORCandice CumiskeyRACE FOOD COORDINATORSuzanne QuiringCOURSE MARSHAL MANAGER Menno KoehoornRACE PHOTOGRAPHERDavid JacksonELITES COORDINATORSuzanne LetkemannENTERTAINMENT COORDINATORGord PatersonWAREHOUSE

HOPE International

Development AgencyPARTNER CHARITY

Ken BaergBOARD CHAIRKelly NeumannRACE DIRECTORJana RatzlaffRACE ADMINISTRATOR & TREASURERBetty BaergEDUCATION DIRECTORRob QuiringCOURSE MANAGERJustin KlassenSPONSORSHIP DIRECTORRandall PetersSCHOOL ASSEMBLIESMichelle WatrinPUBLIC RELATIONSPhil KlaassenDave LetkemannClaire ApostolopoulosShiela BarkeyJon BrandtDeVonne FriesenRobert SchmidtJasbir SinghJanet VinkRay Zahab

TITLE SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

SPECIAL THANKS

RUN FOR WATER SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

THANK YOU TO ALL RUN FOR WATER SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, FUNDRAISERS AND PARTICIPANTS!

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Blackwood Building Centre

Clearbrook Coffee Company

Clearwest Solutions

Crusade Security

Dr. Mike Nicholls

Georgia-Pacifi c Professional

Great West Fitness

Joyful Celebrations

Juba Enterprises Ltd.

Kintec

KP Fitness Studio

Nestle

Neufeld Farms

New Leaf Massage & Wellness

Revival Arts

Ripples Bottled Water

WestJet

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