Running for Rwanda

Posted by admin on Mar 23, 2010 in News | 0 comments

We all know that running is a good form of exercise, but for Danielle Rainsford, an education student at Trinity Western University, it also raises funds for a better education for children living in Rwanda.

Rainsford, who is also TWUSA’s Education Representative, is organizing a running fundraiser for the Wellspring Foundation, a school in Rwanda which provides its students with a Christian education that’s goal is to transform their lives and futures.

“The Wellspring School has close ties with TWU because it was started with two alumni, Jeff Komant and Richard Taylor. It has been a tradition of the Future Teachers Society to help fundraise for the school and I’m keeping with tradition,” says Rainsford. “I love this idea of empowering the people of Rwanda with the gifts of education.”

With 100 available spots, students have the option to run five kilometres for five dollars, 10 kilometres for 10 dollars, or a 21.1 kilometre distance for 20 dollars. “There is also the opportunity for students to raise more if they wish,” says Rainsford. “Wellspring is building a secondary school at the moment, so the proceeds will be going towards purchasing bricks for that project.”

Students who participate in the run will not only receive a sense of accomplishment for supporting a purposeful foundation, but also get prizes such as gift certificates to local restaurants and cafes in Langley or gift baskets.

“As an education student, I believe that education is so vital to the transformation of a nation. Wellspring began after one of the worst genocides of the 20th century and it needed a lot of healing,” says Rainsford.

“I believe Jeff Komant understood this when he said that you must see that their ‘need is to be problem solvers and creative in their thinking to address the problems in their lives.’ He understood that the people of Rwanda needed skills to help heal a nation and he saw Christian education as means to do that. I believe in that vision, and that is why I want to help.”

The Wellspring run will be on Saturday April 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. but the deadline to sign up and pay is on April 6. All the runs will start and finish on campus with the five kilometre route staying on campus; the other routes have yet to be decided. For more information, visit thewellspringfoundation.com.