It Takes a Village: Feeding Students and Building Community for our 3rd Annual 5k Fundraiser
If I’m being totally honest here, we started out this year’s 5k with a lot of hope, but not a ton of expectations. Times are tough for everyone around the world, and we knew people might not have the time and resources to support their own communities, let alone one across the world they’ve never even been to, with people they’ve never even met.
And you all taught us an important lesson: never underestimate the Far Away Friends community.
We set out with a goal of raising $15,000 to feed our nearly 500 students in Northern Uganda, and you all did us one better – or, more accurately, $5,000 better.
That’s right: you helped us PASS our goal this year and together we were able to raise $20,000! All for a community many of you have never been to, and for people you’ve never met – because you all live these values: education is for everyone, and where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live.
This is also thanks in part to our 5k sponsor, Vivian Health, who kicked off our sponsorships and set us on the path to achieving our goal!
Here’s a recap of some of the incredible (and sometimes truly hilarious) things you all did this year for our 3rd Annual Summer 5k!
Team Intoxication for Education (for 21+ Fundraisers Only)
Nick Weaver, founder of the legendary 12 beer 5k and captain of Team Intoxication for Education
“12 beers. One hour. 5k. For the kids.” The tagline that started a tradition that became Far Away Friends legend.
I had the opportunity to sit down with my friend Nick Weaver to talk about his team – Intoxication for Education – and their innovative fundraising technique that helped them raise $5,000 for this year’s fun run.
The plan is deceptively simple: drink 12 beers in under an hour while you complete your 5k. Your friends and family donate per beer finished, and can add additional challenges or dares for more donations. Nick started this tradition three years ago with our first 5k, and has grown his team and fundraising goal steadily since.
“It was kind of an accident the first time,” Nick remembers. “I texted a few people and they responded and we ended up raising over $1500.” This was for our first 5k, Pathways to Education, and Nick and his community were able to provide remote learning opportunities to students in rural Uganda.
“There’s a real community aspect to the fundraising,” he continues. “I originally got involved because my friends were involved, and then my friends gained interest through my involvement, too. It’s so cool to see that so many people and their communities are willing to support just because they’ve been asked to – and then to watch them learn about FAF like I did and become enamored with the cause was a huge bonus.”
Nick fundraised on a team of four, with his friends Andrew, Matt, and Josh. Through drinking beer and sharing our cause with their communities, this team of four was able to raise 20% of our overall goal entirely on their own.
Andrew, 5k participant, completing his run #ForTheKids!
On participating in the 5k, teammate Andrew says, “I joined team Intoxication for Education for the first time this year because I had heard of the great things Far Away Friends does and figured I could help support the cause. I honestly didn’t know much about Far Away Friends before the 5K; I joined the team because a dear friend of mine has been really passionate about the organization for several years now, and when he extended the invite to join it was an easy choice!”
Like Nick said, one of the reasons we continue doing the 5k each year is for this reason exactly: it brings our community together. Whether you’re drinking beers or wearing a costume or biking or hiking or running your way through it – we’re all in it together, and we’re all doing it #ForTheKids.
Andrew continues, “seeing what I have on the Far Away Friends Instagram and website, I’m so proud to be part of the team and confident that the funds we raised are being put to great use over in Uganda. The race itself was certainly grueling – a 5K is hard enough without having to drink 12 beers simultaneously – but the end reward was absolutely worth it!”
Apart from the efforts of this amazing team, our community came together in other creative ways to help us reach our goal!
Hannah and Sunflower, completing their 5k despite recent injuries!
Our board chair, Dennis, and his wife (and fierce FAF advocate) Erika completed a 12k through London, recording and posting famous landmarks live on social media as they did so. This landed them a spot in the top 5 fundraisers, raising the second most of anyone in the campaign!
Our co-founder, Jayme Ward, walked her 5k on the Vegas Strip, and was able to raise over $1000 for the cause. If you supported her efforts, keep an eye on your mailbox – you might have a souvenir on the way!
After race participant Sunflower broke their foot, long-time FAF team member Hannah pushed them in their wheelchair for the ENTIRE three miles! Together they were able to raise enough funds to feed sixteen students for an entire month.
Through these incredible – and, for the first time ever, international! – efforts, you all reminded us that the Far Away Friends family isn’t just about donations. Our mission to end generational poverty is no small feat, and it’s going to take a village; but that also means it is going to continue to build a community – and we are damn proud of ours.
Thank you to everyone who walked, ran, biked, and beer’ed their way through this year’s 5k. Because of you, students in Uganda will go to class each day this fall with full stomachs and eager minds – and we did it together.
Apoyo Matek (thank you very much) from the entire Far Away Friends team!
Special thanks to this year’s 5k sponsor, Vivian, and all of our fundraisers. We couldn’t have done it without you!
