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bulletin 7 5 T H A N N I V E R S A RY 1 9 3 7 volume 76, no. 16 july 23, 2012
21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9
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Publisher: Mitchell Bellman
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Successful Walkathon supports Ottawa’s Jewish schools
By Alex Baker For Mitch Miller, not having enough race bibs for everyone at the 2012 Walkathon – the Am Echad/One People Walk/Run in support of Jewish education in Ottawa – was a good thing. “There were so many people, we actually ran out of race bibs,” said Miller, one of the June 10 event’s three co-chairs, with a grin. “This was a huge success.” Miller praised the innovation and changes made by the event organizers over the past two years. These included shorter, one and three km routes, an emphasis on the race aspect of the event and a more specific goal for fundraising. Each participant chose a particular Jewish day school, supplementary school or preschool as the beneficiary
of his or her fundraising efforts. “For many children and families, this was the first time they had a real race experience, with a bib with their name on it, and keeping their times and everything,” he said of the event. As opposed to the larger Walkathon events of years past, which wound about 10 km through the city, this year’s course was a small loop around the Broadview Avenue area and Jewish Community Campus. This, said Miller, was by design. “Because of the length of the route, everyone is in one big group. It’s one community group all running or walking together. It’s about participating and being there as a community.” Indeed, from that perspective, the Am
Echad walk/run was a great success. Popular radio personality Stuntman Stu Schwartz led a round of stretching and, at the sound of the starter’s pistol, hundreds of youthful, smiling, sweating faces ran down the blocked-off streets. After collecting a shiny gold medal and a bottle of water at the finish line, a bountiful banquet of food awaited the participants inside the Ottawa Jewish Community School gym, while classic rock blared and kids had their faces painted outside. With approximately 650 people participating in the race – despite the muggy climate and early Sunday hour – Miller pronounced the event both a social and financial success. “One of the biggest changes we’ve made
over past years is that every dollar raised now goes to their [the fundraiser’s] school of choice,” he said. “Every dollar raised goes to the school you want it to go to.” Although hesitant to disclose the exact amount raised by the event, Miller did say funds raised by pre-registrations alone covered the cost of the Walkathon. With this new winning formula, and the help of cochairs Cindy Ross and Julie Smith, he hopes to build on this accomplishment. “We plan to increase the numbers even further next year by encouraging the schools to reach out to their alumni,” Miller said. “The last two years have seen the largest [Walkathon] turnouts of the past decade, but we want to get bigger and better.”
Enthusiastic runners are off in a flash at the start of the Am Echad/One People Walk/Run in support of Jewish education in Ottawa, June 10.
(Photo: Alex Baker)
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