Source & Credit: YorkRegion.com
By Caroline Grech | May 27, 2010
It's a few days before the sixth annual Run for Vaughan and a handful of young girls sit in a Maple home looking forward to the weekend.
The girls, ranging in age from seven to 14, are members of Vaughan's Ahmadiyya community. They are also a big part of the reason the event is such a success each year.
They are but a few members of the community who give up their Sunday morning and afternoon to volunteer or participate in the event that is integral to raising money for a future hospital in Vaughan.
Fourteen-year-old Maleeha Khan looks forward to the event every year and, during the event, helps out in any way she can.
Run for Vaughan, which includes a 10-kilometre and 3-km run or walk, has so far raised more than $250,000 for the Vaughan Health Care Foundation.
More than a run and walk, the event has had an impact on the already tightly knit Muslim community.
"It helps bring us closer together, but this is helping us become involved with the outside community, not just the mosque. It's been very good for that," Maleeha said.
The benefits of the event for the community at large have not been lost on Maleeha.
"Vaughan has grown as a community and Vaughan really needs a hospital," she said.
From selling tickets to helping organize the event beforehand, the girls volunteer at the carnival and help with the clean-up after.
Twelve-year-old Samar Mahmood is doing the 3-km walk with her friends this year and plans to participate in the event every year.
"It's fun because everyone gets out to help a good cause, whether they are young or old," Samar said.
Samar's younger sister, seven-year-old Irum Mahmood, is shy but enjoys volunteering at the carnival.
Irum is not alone in liking the carnival the best.
Siblings Safiya and Alia Khan, daughters of race director Asif Khan, always help out on run day.
Their mother, Tanya, said the run is a good example of taking their religious teachings and putting them to practical use for children at such a young age.
"Giving to charity gives them a real life connection. Doing things like this teaches them that giving doesn't mean just writing a cheque. For our kids and our community, this event connects with our teachings," Ms Khan said.
The event has become a staple in the community every May and hopes to get bigger each year.
Last year, the race had 800 participants and so far online registration is ahead of last year's pace, making race director Mr. Khan hopeful they might break the 1,000 marker this year.
The race has grown steadily since the first year, where about 500 participants who were mostly walkers took part.
More than 200 volunteers, many from the Ahmadiyya community, help run the race.
Although online registration has closed, it is not too late to register for Sunday's event.
Participants can register in person at the Vaughan Running Room at 3300 Rutherford Rd. until May 29 and also in person on race day.
Race day registration closes 30 minutes before each event.
The 10-km run starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 3-km run/walk starts at 10 a.m.
For those who don't want to participate but want to pledge someone who is, pledging can be done on the event's website.
The event has something for the whole family including pony rides and jumping castles and food vendors.
For more information, visit www.runforvaughan.com.
Read original article here: Children from Vaughan's Ahmadiyya community big part of Run for Vaughan event
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comments. Any comments irrelevant to the post's subject matter, containing abuses, and/or vulgar language will not be approved.