Coronavirus Leads HoCo Nonprofit To Host Virtual 5K To Help Kids

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — The new coronavirus has quashed people's spring break plans and sequestered many in their homes. With county parks closed, businesses shuttered and aquatic centers forbidden, there is one way people of all ages can get up, get moving and also help students in Kenya.

People from around the world can sign up through Friday to participate in the annual Kenya Connect 5K Race Series. Register for the virtual race here.

Kenya Connect, which is a nonprofit based out of Howard County, hosts an intercontinental race series to support projects in Wamunyu. But instead of canceling the March 28 race held in Ellicott City, the event now will be virtual and has drawn participants from across the country. It will last from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time and can be done inside or outside.

"The virtual race seems to be of interest and has expanded our base. We now have runners from Hawaii, Arizona, New York, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Vermont and British Columbia, Canada, as well as Maryland. Our staff in Kenya will be running the virtual race, too," Sharon Runge, executive director of Kenya Connect, told Patch. "We are making the virtual race fun by asking people to send in their times and pics. We will be posting pics throughout the day and making a video montage at the end of the day. The top three runners in all age categories will win a hand-carved medallion from our village in Kenya. It's very cool."

Get the latest updates on local and state developments related to the new coronavirus outbreak. Sign up for a Patch newsletter.

Local residents who register can pick up their packets in a safe manner, with only one or two people arriving at sites at one time.

"We are asking people to pick up multiple packets to bring to neighbors or friends. If we go on total shutdown, we will try to deliver to people's homes," Runge said.

All money raised from the virtual race support Kenya Connect’s work to strengthen education at 58 partner schools in rural Kenya, which equates to roughly 18,000 students and 500 teachers.

"We began as a PenPal program in 2002 and our work has expanded since then. We still do PenPals and school sponsorship programs. St. John's Parish Day School in Ellicott City has been doing the PenPal since 2006 and every year they do a Walk for Wamunyu. Centennial High School's Helping Hands Club has volunteered at the race; Arundel High School holds a Kenya Cup for us each year; and Garrison Forest Students have created Reading Challenge guides for us for the past two years," said Runge.

Some of the projects Kenya Connect has funded include:

• Installation of water tanks
• Installation of hand washing stations, health and hygiene workshops, and liquid soap making program
• Provision of de-worming medications, working with local health professionals
• A reusable sanitary pad pilot program to encourage girls to stay in school during their menstrual cycle.
• Eye-screening and distribution of glasses in partnership with Global Vision 2020

Read more:

• 26 Coronavirus Cases In HoCo, No Tests For Mild Cases: Officials
• Coronavirus Closes MD Taxpayer Services Call Center
• Coronavirus Prompts U.S. Army Field Band To Offer Live Concerts
• HoCo Food Bank Sees Surge In Demand Due To Coronavirus
• Coronavirus Closes HoCo Parks, Ball Extends State Of Emergency