Kids Running - Miles for Miracles

MILES for MIRACLES
Running a marathon is an exciting thing to do. It's natural for kids who run to want to do one when they grow, and the Boston Marathon is possibly the most popular choice. Pictured are 3 young adults who will run Boston this April. But they will do more than run for a medal. They will run to help children who are patients at Children's Hospital Boston.

HOPING FOR A MIRACLE by Carol Goodrow
Miles for Miracles | Jack Fleming on Running and Charities - Message to Kids | Printable for Kids (Print and Cut Out)

team

Keith Romano, Derek Anderson, and Brian Hrybyk
Charity takes many forms. Sometimes athletes run for charitable organizations. Brian, Derek, and Keith are running for Miles for Miracles a charity to benefit Children's Hospital Boston. There are over 100 runners around the country who run for this charity. Brian, Derek, and Keith are a team of 3. Each will try to raise $5000 while they train for the marathon. All of their proceeds will go to Miles for Miracles. All three had disease-free childhoods and they would like to help children with disabilities and diseases that prevent them from participating in the everyday activities that they enjoyed as children. They also want to make sure that these children don't have to worry about whether they can get the proper treatment, medicine, or care at their facilities.

Some members on the team are given the opportunity to sponsor a Children's Hospital Boston patient.

Brian tells about meeting his child:
"We had a team kick-off meeting right before Christmas where most of the runner and patient partners were able to meet, relax, eat, and have fun. There were around 100 runners there with another 100 or so children accompanied by their parents at the event. This was an event where the goosebumps probably stayed with me throughout the entire event. These children were so happy to be playing games, hanging around with the other children, and just enjoying themselves. It was a great event with a great cast of speakers.

brianandchild

Pancake Breakfast, Applebee's Restaurant

The child I am sponsoring is suffering from Di George Syndrome. He is 4 years old and about 20 pounds underweight. He has an enlarged heart that he constantly has to go in for checkups because his valves do not grow in sync with his heart and needs synthetic valves put in every so often. When he went in right before Christmas the doctors said he was good and should be fine for another 6-9 months. It was great news. I was able to color with him, play with a little football, and even make a puzzle with him. The event was filled with different stations for the children. He is a great kid. Knowing that the money is going to Children's Hospital Boston to help him and everyone else there is so rewarding."

There are many more children and many stories. There are also many other charities that help children.

Derek, Keith, and Brian each have fundraising pages.
Derek Anderson's Page | Brian Hrybyk's Page | Keith Romano's Page

FOR YOUR CHILDREN
I had the opportunity to interview Jack Fleming of the B.A.A. I asked him what he wanted the children visitors of KidsRunning.Com to know about running for charities at the Boston Marathon. Here is his response:
There are many reasons that people decide to take on the challenge of running a marathon.

Some run for exercise.
Some run for the competition.
Some run to run faster than they've ever run before.
Some run because it helps them be more creative.
There are many reasons to run!

Some people run to remember others. It is a nice way to remember their spirit. Some people run for those who are unable to run themselves because they are sick or can't physically make the whole 26.2-mile distance. It is a nice way to celebrate those people.

Many times, when you run for others or run for a cause, runners want to spread the word about their effort and why they are running. They want as many people as possible to know what they are doing and why they are doing it. When this happens, people often show support for the person or cause by making a donation of a few dollars or many dollars! This both helps reinforce the runner's effort, and the money is donated to a worthwhile cause - a charity. Charities help people or the environment or some aspect of society which needs help.

Yes, the reasons to run are endless!

Jack Fleming is the Director of Marketing and Communications of the Boston Athletic Association / Boston Marathon.

Printable for Kids by Carol Goodrow (Print and Cut Out)

Many of us have a charity we are dedicated to. I ran into Brian and Keith on my oldest and most true training ground - the road where I run and the road where I train for my charity ride, the PMC (pmc.org). It's also the same road where I spied the beaver and great blue heron which I illustrated in my Treasure chapter book.

I didn't know these fellows but I had read about them and they were wearing their Miles for Miracles training shirts and I had to stop and find out more about their charity. I'm glad that I did. They are doing a great thing. All of them have the ability to run Boston as a qualifier, but these young men decided to take another route. They will train to run the best marathon they can, but each footstep on the route will help a child. Once high school soccer teammates, now teammates as young adults for a cause bigger than themselves.

carolgoodrow@verizon.net