Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale’s Run for Relief is July 8
There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Participants who choose to run in the upcoming 31st annual Run for Relief at the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale in Mt. Hope July 8 will be helping families in Cambodia do a little bit of both.
The Run for Relief will be held at the Mt. Hope Event Center on Saturday, July 8 at 7:30 a.m., beginning with the 1K race starting at 7:30 a.m. followed by the 5K event kicking off at 8. The event is open to all ages of runners and walkers.
This is the first year the Relief Sale will call Mt. Hope its home, so the course will be a new track.
This annual race has always provided thoughtful and meaningful purpose, having raised funds to go to Mennonite Central Committee to help with projects all over the world, like creating freshwater wells, providing mosquito netting and purchasing chickens for families to raise in third-world countries.
This year’s run will have a fishy flair because the proceeds raised will go to MCC to help stock fishponds for families in Cambodia.
“We always like to come up with some unique themes and purposes with our race that go along with the projects MCC is working on, and the fishponds seemed like a great way to reach out globally to help families in Cambodia,” said Jennifer Hartzler, race chairperson. “The great thing about this project is that once the families start a fishpond, they can use it both as a food source and an income source.”
The starting line for Run for Relief is to the west of the Mt. Hope Event Center on Township Road 362. Participants can also register the day of the event at the starting area.
This year, the money raised will be donated to Mennonite Central Committee to purchase fish to stock family ponds for meals and to increase income and the 2023 Run for Relief will highlight how fish can impact a families’ livelihood.
In Cambodia, Grandfather Chun Sokun, through a no-interest loan from an agricultural cooperative and training from Organization to Develop our Villages in partnership with MCC, was able to build a fishpond and increase his family’s income.
He uses the money from his fishpond and his garden to buy food, clothes and to send his grandchildren to school. By building fishponds, MCC is assisting families with having fish to sell, having water to grow better gardens and to improve the families’ income opportunities. Fish is a low-fat high-quality protein, a nutrient important for our muscular health. The proteins found in fish contain all the essential amino acids required to support our body functions in the right proportion.
“It’s a neat way for people here to participate in something that is going to benefit people in need who live far away,” Hartzler said, noting that while not everyone is called to the mission field, people can perform missionary-like purpose by joining the run and making a difference in this unique way.
And while the 5K might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there are other options available to participate and give.
“For those of you who have younger children or folks who prefer a shorter distance and want to continue to support MCC, the 1K Fun Run is for you,” Hartzler said. “This event will not be timed, and no awards will be given to those who finish first, middle or last.”
Everyone who participates in this event will receive a T-shirt and Hartzler reminded all runners to make sure to please remember to bring water bottles because it could be hot in the middle of an Amish Country summer. She did add that Gatorade, water and water bottles will be available at the run. The event route is a black-topped surface with gentle hills.
The entry fee for the 5K is $30 while the fee for the 1K is $15.
Every race participant will receive a T-shirt and the top six overall runners will receive an award. Age awards will also be given. All proceeds will be given to MCC to purchase fish stock for families. Registration fees will be paid by the participant. Registration is currently open at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/MtHope/OhioMCCRun4Relief1K5KRun or individuals may log on to the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale website at: https://ohiomccreliefsale.org/ and register under “Live Events for the Run for Relief.”
