MAY 25th CHARITY RUN

MAY 25th CHARITY RUN FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR FUKUSHIMA CHILDREN!

On the afternoon of May 25th, 2013, close to 40 energetic people of all ages gathered on the running track at the Hokkaido International School in Sapporo.
A dedicated group of supporters cheered for the runners as they determinedly ran 1, 3 or 5 kilometers.

The event was a 'Charity Run' concept whereby participants would ask people in their personal networks to sponsor their effort to Run for a Better Future for Fukushima Children by kindly making a contribution to the cause.
This type of charity event is common in countries such as Canada, but less so in Japan.

We did not know if it would be a success or not, but as the saying goes: "If you don't try, you'll never know."
So we went for it -and looking back we are very pleased with the way it all turned out!

It was a small event with a BIG heart!

The aim of the event was not just to collect funds towards a establishing a center for Fukushima children in Hokkaido, but, more importantly, to spread the word, to engage the broader community and sow the seeds of a meaningful and collective effort to bring about much-needed social change.

This event was an open for all and enjoyed by staff members, volunteers, runners and supporters alike.

It is my hope that this is just the starting point.
I think we can look forward to even bigger and better events in the future that continues to bring the community together.

You don't need a thousand people or a million yen to make a difference in the world.

All you need is a group of people who are not afraid to dream of a better future, be creative and show willingness to do what it takes in order to pursue a collective goal.

A big thank you, ありがとう！to all who came out in support of the event.

Izumi Akari
泉 あかり

Photo credit: Kako Reynolds