My Race for the Future
When I was twelve years old I attended my first
Cross-Country practice at West Hollow Middle School. On that day, the first mile I ran for an
organized athletic team was the beginning of a running career that would last
through my time at Union College. For
the better part of ten years I have been a competitive runner with a love for
the sport of long distance running.
Although my career has had its up and downs, I have continued to enjoy
running both recreationally and competitively.
My short time here in Siem Reap has already provided
me with some absolutely incredible opportunities. Among the most important has been my ability
to provide for others with the skills I have developed throughout my life. In just four months I have learned a lot in
this wonderful city while simultaneously being shown the importance of giving
back. It is for this reason that I will be combining my passion for running
with my passion for charity during this year's Siem Reap Half Marathon. The race, which takes place on December 2nd
, 2012, will follow a 13-mile course around the Angkor Wat Temples
complex.
All proceeds from the
race will go directly to The Global Child where I work. The Global Child (TGC),
founded in 2003 is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded to save the
lives of Cambodian street children. TGC,
a 501(c )(3) organization operates a small-scale school and safe house in Siem
Reap, Cambodia, in order to nurture, educate and mentor gifted but impoverished
and/or orphaned street children in Cambodia.
The Global Child provides these children not only with an education but
also with life skills, a cultural understanding of their own country and its
traditions, and training for employment and citizenship.
As a teacher at TGC, I have grown to understand the
extreme importance of the school's mission.
Each class, field trip and program has been developed specifically for
the purpose of providing the TGC students with brighter possible futures. TGC is
much more than just a school. It is a
place where students are provided the tools to succeed and ultimately turning
their dreams in to reality.