Local runners raising funds, visibility for Haiti; plan marathon for January

A dozen Northwest suburban athletes have challenged themselves to assist a Haitian community that's in desperate need following this year's earthquake.

With the goal of raising $50,000 and increasing awareness, they are competing in the Inaugural Ouanaminthe Marathon scheduled in Haiti on Jan. 9. These runners represent multiple Northwest suburban area health clubs and running groups including Health Bridge, LifeTime, Hillstriders Run Club, Road Runners Club and MultiSport Madness.

Martha Walker of Carpentersville was inspired to hold this marathon in Haiti after working with children in the community of Ouanaminthe for the last year and a half.

"I have spent the last year traveling back and forth to the small town of Ouanaminthe, Haiti, in an effort to support a local orphanage and school. Haiti's circumstances are desperate to say the least," said Walker, the mother of four children.

The runners have organized a fundraiser for Ouanaminthe that will be at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at Laugh Out Loud at Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg. Tickets are $22 for adults with 55 percent going to the run. For more information, contact Robin at (847) 867-5557, or Carol at (847) 420-8849, or go to restorehaiti.org. More fundraisers are in the works.

Donations also can be sent to Restore Haiti, Our Saviour's United Methodist Church, 701 E Schaumburg Road, IL 60194. Donations should be made payable to the church with Haiti Marathon in the check memo. The church will send year-end statements for tax purposes.

Local runners besides Walker include Gail Stevens and Robin Platt from Algonquin, Dorothy Jones from Carpentersville, Laurie Tepper from Cary, and Mark Francis and Jerry Sullivan from Crystal Lake.

Ouanaminthe is home to 100,000 people and is about 90 miles northeast of Port Au Prince along the border of the Dominican Republic. It did not suffer the immediate consequences of the earthquake, although the long-term effects have created a staggering increased need for the community, orphanages, and schools. Many of the displaced families and orphans of Port of Prince have now relocated to outlying cities, including Ouanaminthe.

While Haiti remains the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, impoverished communities like Ouanaminthe, are now even more in need.

Additional information and a video about Ouanaminthe and the marathon is at restorehaiti.org as well as restorehaiti.blogspot.com.