Canyon De Chelly & Chinle High School Runners Fund

The Canyon De Chelly & Chinle High School Runners Fund, gives you the opportunity to support the 150 runners participating in the Canyon De Chelly Ultra marathon event, and more importantly, the chance  to support the youth of Chinle High School.

Founded in 2012, the CDCU has been running annually, through 55 km of sacred Dineh (Navajo) wilderness.  Limited to 150 lucky runners, the event draws participants from all over the globe.  With the stated aim to share Dineh culture and history with the visiting runners, and with all proceeds going to support the local athletics programs of Chinle High School, the CDCU is a truly unique event.


Last year, we traveled to Chinle, to get the scoop on this incredible event, and to meet the event organizer, host, and Chinle High School Athletic Director, Shaun Martin.  He and his family showed us an exceptional perspective; a perspective both geographic and human in scope.  With Shaun's guidance we were able to see deeply into the current state of the Dineh people's daily life.  A state which beckons for greater help and awareness.

While local leaders like Shawn, and the discipline of the local community are the real turning points to affect the greatest change, help on every level is needed.  In the Navajo Nation, the youth of today are faced with manifold challenges, and the cycle of spiritual and economic poverty which defines entire generations on the Reservation, must be faced with solidarity.  



A key catalyst for change in Chinle are educators like Shawn, and the sports programs which he aids as Athletic Director.  Individual sports, and team sports, are a critical means to keep students disciplined, to keep them in community, and to keep them aligned with the greater economic opportunities which results from academic success.  Sports scholarships, and events such as State and Nationally sanctioned events are also of critical importance.  


The funds you donate will directly benefit the students of Chinle High School's athletic teams.  Ultimately, Shaun has oversight to the allocation of all funds, based on need.  In previous years, these funds have helped from travel expenses for sanctioned competitions, to the purchase of team jersey's, to the operating budget for the CDCU event itself, which is also important.  Currently, the CDCU and Shaun have been featuring in numerous print articles (Outside Magazine, Runner's World, etc..), on film (3100:Run and Become, and Basketball or Nothing from Netflix), and in various podcasts. 

The sum total of the attention toward the plight of the Chinle community is connected, and fed, through your support of the CDCU event, and the local athletics programs.  Your donation, today, will encourage and cultivate that growth.  A growth which leads, directly, to the maintenance of the cultural, physical and spiritual traditions of the Dineh people, as well as the flourishing of the next generation of Dineh youth in the sport and academic capacity.

Give whatever you can, today.  Give with a knowledge that your are contributing to a better future.  And give of the heart, for that is where the true value of our contributions are found.  



We will be giving Shaun a check on the date of the event, Saturday, October 12th, 2019.  But you will be able to donate continually, even after the event.  So donate, anytime.  All the time!  All proceeds will go to the following year's event, again, as allocated by Shaun.

Thank you for your time, Ahéhee'!