Runners lined up on the start line of UNICEF Northwestern’s first 5K race on the Lakefill Sunday morning, raising more than $800 for children around the world.
“I think it’s pretty important right now that we’re able to host something like this,” Medill senior and UNICEF NU co-President Lila Caminiti said. “It’s an important time to be able to give back.”
UNICEF — the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund — is a nonprofit organization that works alongside governments and nongovernmental organizations to improve conditions and ensure human rights for children worldwide. In the past, UNICEF NU has hosted events to engage students in global health issues and to advocate for the rights of children, including screening documentaries about human trafficking and making cards for hospitalized children.
In addition to a $7 registration fee for Sunday’s race, its seventy-two registered runners also had the option to make a donation. Weinberg junior and UNICEF NU executive board member Colette Samek said the club raised $265 through additional donations. The group also sold UNICEF T-shirts to racers for $10.
Caminiti said she was motivated to raise the money especially because of UNICEF’s mission to provide children access to clean water.
“It’s very affordable by our standards to be able to provide that,” Caminiti said. “$5 is 200 days of clean water.”
The first man and woman to finish the race each received a $50 gift card to Commonwealth Running Company. Weinberg freshman Agathe Robert was the women’s winner, and McCormick junior Kyan Shlipak placed first overall and was the men’s top finisher.
In addition to partnering with Commonwealth Running Company, Samek said UNICEF NU reached out to a Red Bull campus ambassador, who provided free Red Bull for the event.
Caminiti, who has been a UNICEF NU member for four years, said that in past years the club has struggled to organize large events beyond small group volunteering. She said she is grateful to all the participants and was surprised at the turnout — one week ago only 20 racers had registered, she said.
To promote the event, UNICEF NU reached out to Facebook running groups and posted flyers around campus, SESP sophomore and UNICEF NU member Kate Stuckart said.
Racer and NU postdoctoral researcher Jaimin Kang said he found out about the event from a flyer at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion.
“The fact that I could run around the campus, see the nice weather and also see the people running next to me — all of that made me very happy, and I’d like to join for the next time,” Kang said.
McCormick junior Julia Oledzka, who finished third in the women’s category, said she participated in the race along with several of her teammates on Northwestern Crew.
“I enjoy running and I don’t have a lot of time to run while rowing, so it’s been fun,” Oledzka said. “I’m trying to work up to six miles because I have another race in June.”
Racers started at the south end of the Lakefill, ran through campus and then completed a second shorter lap around the Lakefill. Oledzka said that the race course was well-marked with arrows.
Stuckart said the club planned the course so runners would stay on campus to avoid cars for safety purposes.
Although organizing the race required a month of planning and promoting, Stuckart and Samek said it was a very cost-effective way to raise money because it didn’t require any money to set up tables, find volunteers and time the runners.
Both labeled the event a success — Samek said it was the most money UNICEF NU has ever raised at one event.
“I just figured every dollar that we don’t spend is $1 that’s going to UNICEF,” Samek said.
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