41 Local Charities Use the Colfax Marathon to Raise Funds 

When the Colorado Colfax Marathon debuted in 2006, MetroCareRing, an organization that provides food and basic necessities to over 9,000 Denver and Aurora families in need, found a fun opportunity to raise funds to help keep its pantry shelves stocked. They put five relay teams together and in a matter of months raised $10,000 for their organization. They did it again in 2007. On May 18th, 2008, they hope to do it again with an anticipated 20 relay teams raising $20,000.

“Spring is when our reserves from the holidays start to run low in the food pantry,” said Jon Holmer, MetroCareRing’s Executive Director. “We also provide funds for bus tokens, work boots and tools, identification documents and utility assistance, so this is a good opportunity to increase our funding.”

Inspired in part by their success, organizers of the 2008 Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon have partnered with 41 local charities, hoping to bring community awareness to their causes, and raise funds in the process.

“This program works so well in Colorado because it appeals to the kind and giving nature of our athletically fit community,” said Jean Townsend, manager of the Charity Partner program. “We take the worry out of event planning so our charity partners can focus on fundraising and broadening their visibility.”


Charity Success Stories
Each charity partner is recruiting runners, walkers and volunteers to participate in the May 18th marathon, half-marathon or 5-person relay team and raise funds for their organization. Some of those include:

• Denver Kids, Inc.: This charity works with Denver kids who are at risk for dropping out of school. They try to identify these kids and begin working with them as early as possible. One of their students, Nigel Daniels, a sophomore at Denver School of the Arts, will be running on a relay team with his mentor, Mark Ballard. The two met in 1999, when Nigel was just 6. Their goal is to raise $10,000, and they’re nearly halfway there. Contact Vicki Puchi, Development Director, Denver Kids Inc., 720-423-8190
• Asian Hope: This charity supports an orphanage and school in Cambodia. Three of those children are now seniors in high school, and will be running the full marathon to help raise funds for their collective university educations. One of them, Bora Chheang, is living in Littleton and is available for interviews. Contact Jordan Fischer, Director of Development, Asian Hope, at 303-653-6576.
• AIR Foundation: Nick Sterner was captain of The Denver Rescue Mission’s 2007 Colfax Marathon team, and helped 15 men fighting homelessness and addiction complete the race. A former addict himself, Nick founded Activity Inspired Rehabilitation Foundation and this year, he’s training groups from The Denver Rescue Mission, The Crossing in Fort Collins, Harvest Farm, and a group of teenagers from Urban Peak, which helps homeless youth. And that’s not all – he’s also been a guide for blind runner Kerry Kuck (pronounced “Cook) as Kuck trains for the Colfax half marathon. Contact: Nick Sterner, The Air Foundation, 303-997-1750; Kerry Kuck, 303 934-9103.

Charity Partners:

1. Air Foundation, The
2. Allied Jewish Federation
3. American Lung Association of Colorado
4. American Transplant Foundation
5. ARC Thrift Stores of Colorado
6. Asian Hope
7. Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver
8. Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Inc.
9. Children's Hospital Foundation, The
10. Children's Museum, The
11. Colorado Youth for a Change
12. Colorado Vincentian Volunteers
13. Craig Hospital
14. Denver Kids, Inc.
15. Denver Rescue Mission
16. Denver Urban Ministries
17. Denver's Road Home
18. Esquela Guadalupe
19. Fetal Hope Foundation
20. Food Bank of the Rockies
21. Freedom Service Dogs
22. Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver – Women Build
23. IMA Foundation, The
24. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Denver, Inc.
25. JeffCo Action Center, Inc.
26. Make A Wish Foundation of Colorado
27. Metro Care Ring
28. National Jewish Medical & Research Center
29. Project Angel Heart
30. Prostate Cancer Awareness Council
31. Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Foundation
32. Savio House
33. Second Wind Fund, The
34. Single Mothers of Color, Inc.
35. Sewall Child Development, Inc.
36. Southwestern Christian College
37. Threshold Passages, Inc.
38. Urban Servant Corps
39. Warren Village
40. Women's Bean Project
41. YMCA of Metropolitan Denver

ABOUT THE MARATHON
The Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon, Half-Marathon and Relay is on May 18, 2006 at 6:00 a.m. The 26.2 mile course has been redesigned this year, starting and finishing in Denver’s City Park.

The Marathon is owned and operated by the Colfax Marathon Partnership, Inc., a non-profit organization formed by the cities of Aurora, Denver and Lakewood to shine a positive spotlight on Colfax Avenue and to foster youth fitness. Net proceeds from race registrations go to Colorado Kids, a charity dedicated to preventing obesity and promoting fitness for school aged children. Visit www.coloradocolfaxmarathon.org to learn more.

SPONSORS
Sponsors of the 2008 Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon enjoy promoting a healthy and vibrant community along America’s longest business district. Our sponsors include The Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain News, 9News, 1stBank, Safeway, Craig Hospital, The Children’s Hospital, The Denver Athletic Club, The Daniels Fund, Residence Inn by Marriot Denver City Center, Denver Stapleton Courtyard by Marriott, Propaganda Labs, and the cities of Aurora, Denver and Lakewood.