On a recent, steamy August morning, the Virginia Beach oceanfront played host to the famed national running series, Rock n Roll Half Marathon. The race is well-known for both its grueling late summer temps and the live music that energizes participants along the course route.
This year’s run had another exciting addition: three local churches, Oxford UMC, Grace Memorial UMC, and Sebul UMC, came together to help raise funds to outpace extreme hunger across the developing world. Supporters donated for every mile the members completed. “We love what Stop Hunger Now does and their mission”, said Pastor Glenn Riggs of Oxford UMC. “We wanted to add a new element of fundraising to raise the event profile”.
The runners successfully completed the half marathon and their $2,900 fundraising goal. The team will now turn those donations and 13.1 miles into a 10,000 meal packing event benefiting schoolchildren and orphans in one of the 65 countries that Stop Hunger Now serves. As I watched Pastor Riggs bolt through finish line, he was beaming with pride from the support from the Stop Hunger Now family, his teams physical accomplishments and the group’s success in helping us sprint toward a world where hunger is just a memory.