On Tuesday, volunteers from Hope Fellowship’s Run/Walk Group helped two staff members of The Refuge stuff race kits for those who participated in yesterday’s Durham Quarter Marathon. Two and a half hours and eighty laps around the table later, seven hundred boxes were ready for distribution. Each kit contained coupons, advertisements, fridge magnets, nibbles, breath mints, magazines, race fliers, a bottle of water and a map of the route.
In previous years, we filled plastic bags. This year, we were surprised to find ourselves stuffing boxes instead. Someone had come up with a brainstorm, suggesting that registrants be challenged to return the boxes filled with items that homeless youth could use. Things like toques, gloves, deodorant, toothpaste and socks. What a great idea! Not only were we stuffing race kits; we were also distributing donation boxes.
Stuffing race kits for The Refuge has proven to be a perfect fit for our Saturday morning running and walking group. Like the other small groups at our church, we wanted to add a service component. What better way than to help organizers of a local road race raise money for a ministry aimed at helping homeless youth!
On July 23, weather conditions for race day were far from ideal. After all, hot and sunny may be nice for spectators but not for runners. But the conditions for helping others were perfect as board members, volunteers, police officers, runners, walkers, spectators and Oshawa’s youth connected with each other in ways both visible and invisible. Just imagine the chain of different hands that brought the donations, packed the boxes, picked up the race kits, filled and returned the boxes, and finally opened them only to discover that Christmas had come early.
Our Saturday morning small group is called Run and Walk With Hope. We welcome you to run or walk 5 k with us through the church neighbourhood every Saturday morning at 8 a.m. and to do many short but fun laps around a table next July when we will stuff race kits again. And if you’re up to it, you might even consider doing the Durham ¼ or 1/8 Marathon next year, The Refuge’s exciting annual fundraiser.
- Pastor Peter
In previous years, we filled plastic bags. This year, we were surprised to find ourselves stuffing boxes instead. Someone had come up with a brainstorm, suggesting that registrants be challenged to return the boxes filled with items that homeless youth could use. Things like toques, gloves, deodorant, toothpaste and socks. What a great idea! Not only were we stuffing race kits; we were also distributing donation boxes.
Stuffing race kits for The Refuge has proven to be a perfect fit for our Saturday morning running and walking group. Like the other small groups at our church, we wanted to add a service component. What better way than to help organizers of a local road race raise money for a ministry aimed at helping homeless youth!
On July 23, weather conditions for race day were far from ideal. After all, hot and sunny may be nice for spectators but not for runners. But the conditions for helping others were perfect as board members, volunteers, police officers, runners, walkers, spectators and Oshawa’s youth connected with each other in ways both visible and invisible. Just imagine the chain of different hands that brought the donations, packed the boxes, picked up the race kits, filled and returned the boxes, and finally opened them only to discover that Christmas had come early.
Our Saturday morning small group is called Run and Walk With Hope. We welcome you to run or walk 5 k with us through the church neighbourhood every Saturday morning at 8 a.m. and to do many short but fun laps around a table next July when we will stuff race kits again. And if you’re up to it, you might even consider doing the Durham ¼ or 1/8 Marathon next year, The Refuge’s exciting annual fundraiser.
- Pastor Peter
Comments
Post a Comment