Charity event all set for this Sunday
By Roger Childs
The planning for this year’s In the Footsteps of the Marines event on Sunday 28 May, is now complete. There are 120 entries so far and this is expected to rise to over 200 on the day. Good weather is forecast.
The charity run/walk benefits local groups and charities, and each year the Kapiti Joggers and Walkers nominate a particular charity to be the main recipient. In 2015 $800 was given to the local Foodbank and last year Kapiti Youth Support received $1000.
In 2017 Youth Quest Kapiti (YQK) is the chosen charity.
Youth Quest Kapiti turns young lives around
YQK has been operating for 11years. In line with its Vision, it aims to inspire positive futures and bring hope to youth at risk and to make youth aware of the opportunities to reach their potential. The targets are at-risk boys ages 15 to 17 who are referred by police, colleges, the courts and social agencies.
Chairman of the Trust Board, John Granville, spells out what YQK does. The programme includes a Bush week, camp and classroom activities, which have NCEA credits with guest speakers on a wide
range of life skills, plus gum and sporting events. The classes also a required to participate in at least one voluntary community event.
Until 2017 the Ministry of Social Development has provided only about a quarter of the funding, so there has been a major reliance on grants from trusts and donations from the community.
The efforts of the last eleven years have paid off. Its value has been recognised by former Youth Chief Justice Andrew Beacroft, Community constables, Judges, parents and guardians and almost all of the approximately 250 -275 boys who have graduated in the past 11 years, says John Granville
You can help put money back to community groups
Because donations are dependent on the number of people entering the event, you can help by taking part in the 13.2km run or walk on Sunday May 28.
You can enter for $25 by going to http://www.enteronline.co.nz/index.cfm?page=Home
The event can be walked or run, or a mix of the two, by anyone with a reasonable standard of fitness.
As well as YQK, donations will be made to the Whareroa Guardians, the Tramway Museum, the Wellington Free Ambulance, the Kapiti US Marines Trust, the Raumati Scouts, the Kapiti Running and Tri Club and Raumati School.
On the day
Entries are accepted on the day for $30. Registration opens at 8.00am on Sunday morning at the Whareroa Farm Shelter.
Social walkers and slow joggers start at 9.00am, race walkers at 9.30am, and runners at 10.00am.
After the event there is hot soup and a roll served at the Tramway Building in Queen Elizabeth Park, and over there you can also pick up a race certificate and possibly a spot prize, if your number comes up.