The Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) is partnering with Amarillo Area CASA to host the CASA Superhero 5K on April 14.
The race will begin at the WTAMU Pedestrian Mall and will cover a 3.1 mile stretch of the entire campus, with a Kids 1K and Family Walk at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K starting at 9:00 a.m.
The concept of the 5K originally began as a class assignment.
Daniel Zewde, student athlete and Mass Communication major, explained that an assignment in a Public Relations and Publicity class he took was to develop a campaign for an organization. He said that as an athlete he looks for opportunities to get involved in the community and CASA was a good fit.
He then talked to Courtney Lee, director of Student-Athlete Services, about making his idea a reality.
“I ran it by her and she really liked the idea,” Zewde said.Lee then contacted CASA about bringing the event to Canyon. CASA liked the idea as well and came to WT to discuss it further.
“From CASA, the Executive Director, Barbara Richardson, and Funds Development Director/Race Coordinator, Valerie Fulkerson, came and spoke to our group about CASA and our student-athletes
jumped right on board with everything,” Lee said.
Fulkerson said CASA is thrilled with the partnership with SALT and that the partnership with WT was a “natural partnership.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about the new life and new blood that is being put into the race,” she said. “I really think this is going to be the best race we’ve had.”
Zewde said one of the biggest reasons he supports CASA is because of their cause – representing abused or neglected children in court and advocating their best interests.
“It’s a really fantastic cause,” he said.
Lee said she feels the same way and finds the superhero theme of the race to be representative of this.
“We all care and love children dearly, and we really need to speak up for all that are being abused and/or neglected,” she said. “This will be the day that anyone and everyone at this race will get to be a superhero, in some way, for these beautiful kids.”
Fulkerson said the 5K is a good opportunity to come together as a community to raise awareness of April being Child Abuse Prevention month.
“Child abuse is unacceptable and children can’t speak for themselves,” she said. “Nobody should suffer abuse, especially our children.”
Zewde said that the 5K is something positive to be involved with and he hopes to get the community engaged in the cause.
“At the end of the day, it’s always nice to give back a little bit,” he said.
All proceeds received during the 5K will benefit the children represented through the Amarillo Area CASA.
Participants can register online at www.casa5k.org or over the phone. Canyon residents can call Courtney Lee at 651-4434 and Amarillo residents can call Valerie Fulkerson at 373-2272.
If registered before April 9 at 5 p.m., the cost will be $25 for the 5K and $5 for the 1K Kids/Family run. From April 10-14, the cost will be $35 and $5 for late registration.
