WASHINGTON — Earlier this month, the 35th running of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run was named the 2007 Road Runners Club of America National Championship 10 Mile.
"With the RRCA celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and the Credit Union Cherry Blossom commemorating 35 editions of the race, this seemed like a natural fit," Event Director Phil Stewart said. "Plus the championship, which is open to athletes of all nationalities, builds on our established reputation as the Washington, D.C. area's only world class running event."
He said the designation is prestigious in the running world as the RRCA, established in 1958, is one of two national associations of running clubs that sanction races. RRCA includes about 600 running clubs nationwide with 180,000 members. "We thought it was good to expand the visibility of the event beyond the Washington, D.C.-area," Steward said.
He added that he anticipates increased participation by some of the RRCA's "Roads Scholar" grant recipients, which include many up-and-coming American athletes, though the race participation is being kept at 10,000 runners–the same as last year–because of the permitting authorities. Additionally, Stewart emphasized organizers want to "make sure we can provide all the runners with a quality experience."
The race is slated for April 1, 2007 and since Congress changed the dates of daylight savings time after this year to the second Sunday in March, runners will not have the excuse of the time change for rolling out of bed an hour late.
Credit unions through Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. have sponsored the event for the last five years, which has raised nearly $2 million for the Children's Miracle Network since 2002. CU Miracle Day Chairman Juri Valdov, CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union, said the organization hopes to add $1 million to the total through this year's race and gala alone. Reaching this goal would make it the highest fundraising road race in the world, The Summit Federal Credit Union CEO Mike Vadala, a Miracle Day Board member and chair of the Business Development Committee, said.
In order to achieve that, which would mean even greater publicity and recognition for the event, Valdov, Vadala and others are looking nationwide for support. "We had some success even previously. We're just stretching it out even further," Valdov explained.
He emphasized too that the money contributed goes back to CMN children's hospitals local to the credit union making the contribution. "While the money goes locally, the event is national…as a sporting event," Valdov said. Raising it to the $1 million level also catches the eye of Congress.
Vadala said his committee wants to get letters out now to credit unions, during budget season, so they will hopefully add this item to their list. He is also making in-person pleas, as he is able, including a mention from the stage at NAFCU's Congressional Caucus last month and was planning to bring it up at the New York roundtable of large credit unions last week.
The committee is looking to establish regional ambassadors–credit unions participating from outside the D.C.-area–to the effort, but those have not been finalized yet.
Of the $1 million goal, Vadala said, "It's a pretty lofty goal. It could happen…I'd like to think we could." A couple of new ideas for fundraising are being implemented to help reach that goal. For example, they are looking at having credit unions sponsor local elite runners, which would also help increase local goodwill. The group is also looking at creating a Web site to sponsor runners online, which he said has proven successful for walk-a-thons.
"Giving $1 million just beats the daylights out of $990,000," Vadala commented. It would only take 84 more credit unions giving $6,000 a piece or maybe 120 with the right mix.
CU Miracle Day also ties in a press conference at Washington, D.C.'s Children's National Medical Center, a CMN hospital, and fundraising auction and gala with the running event. Preparation for the auction and gala is "going great so far," State Department Federal Credit Union CEO Jan Roche, chair of the Gala and Auction Committee, said. "Two weeks ago we had our first kick off meeting." Setting up the whole event takes about three to four months between eight people, she explained.
Again this year, the group will be auctioning off artwork from the CMN kids and her credit union has committed to "working the kids and get a little brightness in their days." The auction will be held March 30, the Friday before the race, at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott again with Paul Berry, former local ABC affiliate newscaster, emceeing. Roche said her committee was hoping to attract about 400 attendees next year, which would be about 50 more than this year. The fundraising goal for the event is set at $35,000. The committee plans to begin a big push for contributions for the auction in January. In years past, they have auctioned off a painting by NAFCU Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Dan Berger, quilts by NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson, cruises, and sports tickets and paraphernalia, among other things. Last year, during the press event, patients at Children's National Medical Center painted piggy banks that were auctioned off, fetching as much as $1,000.
Roche also promised "coming attractions" for 2007 to "take it up a notch."
The event, however, is not all about money, but also participation. For instance, Valdov pointed out, half of the volunteers around the course on race day are from credit unions and their organizations. Vadala will be running this year, too. –scooke@cutimes.com
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