Have you ever thought about becoming a runner, one of those people who laces up their brightly colored shoes and takes off rain or shine just to get some exercise? Or, maybe you already are an avid runner and simply enjoy logging in the miles. If you are either of these people, or are somewhere in between, now is the time to hit the pavement.
Texas Children’s Hospital recently was chosen to be an official charity for the January 17, 2016 Houston Marathon and Half Marathon, which means you can run for a reason. You can be on the Texas Children’s Running Team and fundraise on behalf of Texas Children’s Hospital, knowing your donations will directly impact the lives of countless sick children. The team is led by Kelli Calderwood, an employee of Texas Children’s and a sponsored distance runner. Read her blog post about the run here.
Signing up for the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon as a Texas Children’s Runner guarantees your entry into the race distance of your choice and all of the money you raise will go directly to the Promise Campaign, which focuses on five key initiatives:
- CareFirst, for the expansion of our Critical Care services, ORs/PACU and Emergency Center at the Main Camp
- Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, our new 548,000-square-foot dedicated pediatric hospital serving the growing communities north of Houston
- Endowed Chairs, which are a powerful tool in recruiting and retaining world-class physicians and scientists
- Divisions and Centers of Excellence to provide ongoing support for specialty care programs and projects
- Charity Care and hospital priorities, to help alleviate the financial burdens families take on with complex medical care and to provide flexible funds to address the hospital’s most pressing needs at any given time.
There is no better excuse to try something new or hone what you already know. Make your promise today and join the Texas Children’s Running Team. Here’s how:
Fundraise to Run
A fundraising entry is a way for runners to secure a guaranteed entry to the race of their choice, while fundraising for Texas Children’s Hospital. The minimum fundraising milestone to receive the guaranteed entry is $1,500 ($500 for Texas Children’s employees). Please complete this form and email it to Kelli Calderwood at kkcalder@texaschildrens.org to sign up and secure your registration. Donations can be received from May 2015 – February 2016. These donations can come from friends, family and employer matching programs. Some of the perks of being on the team:
- Custom Texas Children’s race jersey
- Prizes for fundraising milestones
- Organized team runs
- Access to a trained and experienced marathoner
- Calls with a Development Manager to assist you in your fundraising efforts
- A sponsored pre-race pasta dinner
- A post-race party
- A wild cheering station to cheer you to the finish
- A personal tour of Texas Children’s Hospital – to show how your hard work will pay off
- And much more!
Fundraising Milestone Prizes
- $350 – A set of notecards designed by a Texas Children’s patient
- $500 – Texas Children’s tumbler
- $1,000 – Texas Children’s tee shirt
- $1,500 – Texas Children’s hat
- $2,000 – Texas Children’s sports bag
- $5,000 – Framed artwork, painted by a Texas Children’s patient
- $10,000 – A 2016 Ambassadors Membership
Support the Team
To support the Texas Children’s running team with a donation, please visit our fundraising page.