Pingree 5K to benefit African charity
A socially conscious run this weekend finds its way to Pingree Grove.
Saturday morning, the village, in conjunction with the Northern Kane Educational Corp. that runs the Cambridge Lakes Learning Center, will hold its first-ever 5K run.
Pingree Grove's 5K Global run will benefit student runners in another part of the world - Africa.
Runners and spectators are encouraged to bring new or slightly used running shoes to the run that organizers will donate to Shoe4Africa.
The organization hands out shoes to needy people on the continent to prevent diseases that people contract when they walk around barefoot.
As well, a portion of the $15 registration fee will also benefit the organization - the run's theme is "think global, run local."
"We want to encourage our kids to think outside of where they live," said organizer Drew Smith, a physical education teacher at Cambridge Lakes who lives in Lake in the Hills.
The run's charity aspect came from Chelsea Carey, whose father is Pingree Grove Village President Wyman "Clint" Carey.
The younger Carey, 23, is an avid runner and read an article about Shoe4Africa in "Runner" magazine.
The charity's mission touched her and she reached out to its founder to see how she could help raise money for the group that also is trying build a children's hospital in Kenya.
"I thought, 'you know what, this is a great cause to do a ton of things and I wanted to be involved,'" the Cary resident said. The run also may be a way to help mend fences.
In the past, the village and the educational group have clashed on certain issues that are now being ironed out, officials said.
The run is open to people of all ages and will take people through the Cambridge Lakes subdivision and in areas around the school.
Registration starts at 7 a.m. at the Cambridge Lakes Learning Center, 900 Wester Boulevard. The run begins an hour later and organizers hope at least 40 people sign up to run or walk.
For details, visit facebook.com/event.php? eid=81128307780 or villageofpingreegrove.org.