Agnes's Ambassador trip to China
Ni Hao (Hello in Mandarin Chinese)
Friends,
In July 2015, I found out that I will be able to combine my two passions in life: running and traveling.
WHY? I've given a tremendous opportunity to travel to Hefei, China this October on an athlete ambassador trip with Greater Columbus Sister Cities International (GCSCI) in collaboration with the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon. This is an official trip because I am essentially being invited by the Hefei Marathon race commitee. I am extremely happy and blessed to be going on this trip.
This athlete ambassador program will provide me with an insight on the world's most populous country and significantly further my career goals of working with the international and immigrant community. In addition, through people I meet, I will be able to bridge the cultural gap between 2 cities (Columbus and Hefei) while running a race and learning about the running culture in Hefei. Upon the return from my trip, I will provide a full report to GCSCI & the Columbus Marathon.
WHO? GCSCI is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation. Their mission is to promote peace though mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.
WHAT? This is an athlete exchange program trip with Columbus's sister city, Hefei (China) . 3 total runners, including myself were chosen to represent the city of Columbus, Ohio in Hefei and run the Hefei International Marathon on October 25, 2015. The runners were announced at the Columbus Marathon's RunFest on July 11, 2015 along with the Dresden (Germany) and Curitiba (Brazil) athlete ambassadors. I will be running the half-marathon distance.
The five-day trip to Hefei, China (October 22-26) will include race entry, a homestay with a local host family, on-site transportation, a post-race reception and a small travel stipend.
DOLLAR AMOUNT NEEDED - I am asking for a total of $1,350 for my 5 day stay in Hefei. I am tremendously greatful for this opportunity to be an athlete ambassador and run a race in China. I would love to fully fund my trip 100% so I am asking for your donation. Every dollar amount from you goes a long way to helping me achieve my dreams. The money raised will be used for my flight from Columbus to Hefei . In addition, I will use the funds for my VISA processing fees.
SISTER CITY HISTORY
"Hefei and Columbus have been sister cities since 1988 after a delegation from Columbus went to China to negotiate obtaining a panda bear for the Columbus Zoo. A delegation from Hefei then came to Columbus to formalize a sister city agreement. The relationship with Hefei is one of Columbus’s strongest sister city pairings, with frequent people-to-people exchanges and visits. Most recently, Columbus/Franklin County-Hefei/Anhui Province entered into an EcoPartnership under the auspices of the U.S. State Department in a May 2012 signing ceremony in Beijing." (source - http://www.columbussistercities.us/index.php/hefei-china)
ADDITIONAL TRIP INFO: What I am most excited about for my trip is that I will stay with a local family in Hefei (host family) which gives me a unique chance to learn about the people and culture of Hefei and in turn, promote the Columbus culture. After spending 5 days in Hefei, I will travel on my own to Beijing, China to visit a friend.
GIVING BACK: I enjoy giving back to my community through volunteering. All funds donated over $1,350 USD will be given back to GCSCI, Nationwide Children's Hospital , and the Columbus Marathon .
YOUR GIFT REWARDS:
• All donations will receive:
1) A personal thank you via email & social media.
2) Speaking requests: I would love to speak to your group about my experience traveling to China and other general topics. Please contact me.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE: I understand that not everyone can make a monetary donation so please help me spread my fundraising page on your social medial websites (facebook, twitter, Instagram, and blogs). I will be forever grateful.
QUESTIONS? Comment on this page when you make a donation or click on "contact the organizer" to get ahold of me.
TAX DISCLAIMER - **Your donation to me is a personal donation and is not guaranteed to be tax-deductible. I am not an accountant or tax professional so please check with a tax professional or a Tax Attorney to be sure your gift is tax deductible.***
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Thank you,
Agnes I.
First published on August 30, 2015.
