Team UNICEF goes the distance

© U.S. Fund for UNICEF/David Svartman

Team UNICEF runner Sean Hawks passes one of the five UNICEF cheering stations.

In addition to Trick-or-Treating this weekend, we supported UNICEF in other ways as well: in conjunction with the ING New York City marathon, we hosted all the Team UNICEF runners and their supporters!

There was a pasta party Friday night, where runners, friends and family were inspired by speakers who reminded us that training for a marathon demonstrates commitment and dedication, as does UNICEF in doing whatever it takes to save children’s lives. We distributed “cheer gear” to the cheer captains, who had agreed to recruit volunteers and supporters to five stations throughout the course.

Forty runners, comprised of volunteers from all over the country, actor Peter Wingfield, employees of our corporate partners, former Campus Initiative members, and staff not only ran 26.2 miles, they each raised at least $3,500 for UNICEF, and got their friends and family involved along the way.

© U.S. Fund for UNICEF/Tara Nappi

In addition to 40 runners, as many volunteers and staff met up at five cheering stations throughout the course to encourage Team UNICEF and other runners.

I was part of a cheering section between mile 24 and 25. We had cyan blue UNICEF shirts, signs, pompoms and cowbells. I was joined by volunteers, interns, staff, and friends to route on not only our Team UNICEF runners, but also many of the 42,000 runners who comprised the largest marathon in the world.

Cheering that day, for me, wasn’t just about cheering. For me, it was about thinking of the dedication and passion one must have to train for a marathon, and how the length of a marathon is symbolic of the long road we have for eradicating poverty and preventing all preventable deaths of children. I thought about the strength needed to complete this race and about the race that mothers all over the world have to unwillingly compete in against time for access to food, medicine, water, so many things we generally take for granted, and for which UNICEF is working tirelessly to provide. Cheering wasn’t about cheering, it was about being part of a community of UNICEF supporters who joined together to run and to cheer and who all believe that we can make zero our finish line.

If you would like to support Team UNICEF, please click here.